Socioeconomic status as determinant of risk factors for overweight in adolescents.

OBJECTIVES To analyze risk factors for overweight among adolescents grouped in three different socioeconomic levels. METHODS This cross-sectional study included 1779 adolescents aged 11 to 17 years, grouped according to socioeconomic status (low, middle, and high). Parents reported their own anthropometric data and the adolescents had their anthropometric data taken by trained researchers, and completed three questionnaires. RESULTS The prevalence of overweight was 16.7%, 23.8%, and 26.3% in low, middle and high socioeconomic status, respectively (P= 0.001). In all socioeconomic status, parent's overweight was associated with adolescent overweight (all P< 0.05). The students in both high (PR= 1.90) and middle socioeconomic status (PR= 2.00) from private schools were associated with overweight, and the students from low socioeconomic level to sedentary behavior (PR= 2.25) and high ingestion of fried food (PR= 2.35). CONCLUSION In each socioeconomic status the overweight was associated with different risk factors in different ways, except for parents overweight.