Prevalence of Obesity and Elevated Blood Pressure as well as Onset of Puberty in German School Children Attending Different Educational Tracks

Background: Obesity and associated comorbidities are increasingly evident in adolescents. This cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between educational level and prevalence of obesity, comorbidities, and onset of puberty in German schoolchildren. Subjects and Methods: 1,488 children from Leipzig attending different types of schools ('Hauptschule' or 'Realschule', HR, vs. 'Gymnasium', GYM) were examined for indices of obesity, pubertal stage and blood pressure. Results: Subjects attending HR had markedly increased body fat compared to age- and gender-matched peers attending GYM. Higher BMIs seen in children attending HR were associated with an earlier onset of puberty. The differences in body fat mass persisted after adjustment for puberty. In addition, children attending HR had higher systolic blood pressure compared to their age- and gender matched peers. This effect vanished when adjusting for BMI. Conclusion: Educational level affects the risk to develop obesity and associated comorbidities already at school age. The strong relationship between the educational track attended and increased BMI as well as elevated blood pressure in schoolchildren implies that comprehensive prevention activities should start already in school age and should be implemented in all educational establishments to target the increasing epidemic of childhood obesity. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel