The community will examine ten years weight and its effects on the health of 3,000 children.

– with physical explorations and surveys on healthy habits to children of 4 years and until they meet 14

– the study is carried out through 31 pediatricians of the health centres in the region

Madrid, March 2012.- the director-general of primary careAntonio Alemany, presented Tuesday, February 28 at the Centre of health Barrio del Pilar the study undertaken by the Ministry of health to know the prevalence of obesity and overweight among children Madrid, as well as the risks and this age-related diseases. Alemany witnessed in a consultation of Pediatrics exploration that has been one of the children involved in the study.

In total, the Department of health will follow for ten years to about 3,000 children who now have four years through 31 pediatricians of the medical sentinel network of the community of Madrid, distributed in a representative manner throughout the region.

Obesity and overweight are a very important public health problem and to prevent decisive act in the early ages, as well as to know the magnitude of the problem, as we know at the end of this novel study rigorously ”, said Alemany.

in the study, pediatricians will take place periodically to children a physical examination in the health center, which includes measurement of weight, height, blood pressure, waist diameter and knowledge of other diseases and risk factors (diabetes…).

Subsequently, there will be a telephone questionnaire which includes information on the nutrition of children, frequency of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle and leisure and free time activities. In addition, shall contain information concerning the parents with regard to their habits and socio-economic situation.

The study will allow to know the prevalence of obesity and overweight among children of four years, and its association with risk factors that can be modified, including food, physical activity and sedentary lifestyle. In addition, the effects on the health of children of overweight and obesity and the occurrence of diseases in child age can analyze (cardiovascular, metabolic, asthma, depression) and situations related to the quality of life.

According to the latest available studies, the prevalence of obesity in the school population of the community of Madrid is 18%, lower than the national average in 22 per cent in children aged between 6 and 18 years.

Multidisciplinary team

In the study coordinated by the Directorate-General for primary health care is involved a multidisciplinary team of health professionals as collaborating researchers: 31 pediatricians Sentinel health centres, a pediatrician from an expert in childhood obesity Health Center, 6 doctors of preventive medicine and public health and an endocrine of the Sub-Directorate for prevention and promotiona health centre a nurse and a physician researcher of the Institute of health Carlos III.

Collaborating scientific societies Madrid Association of paediatric primary care, Spanish Association of Pediatrics of primary care and Pediatrics society of Madrid and Castile – La Mancha, Spain. Also backed by the Ethics Committee of the Hospital Ramón y Cajal.

The network of doctors sentinels of the community of Madrid is an epidemiological surveillance system formed on a voluntary basis by 126 primary care professionals: 95 physicians family and 31 pediatricians serving in consultation with a representative of the Madrid population populationsome 58,000 people, and hence the incidence of eye disease is obtained. Since 2007, the network monitors the cases of influenza, chickenpox, herpes zoster and asthmatic crisis.