The questions used from the 2005 NSW School Students Health Behaviours (SSHB) survey were: How tall are you without shoes? and How much do you weigh without clothes or shoes?. Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated as follows: BMI = weight(kg)/height˛(m). The calculated child BMI is then scaled to the adult BMI using the table provided by AIHW in the Metadata Online Registry in the Person-Body Mass Index Classification available online http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/27047. The resulting categories shown for BMI scores are healthy weight (equivalent to an adult BMI less than or equivalent to 24.9), overweight (equivalent to an adult BMI between 25 and 29.9), and obese (equivalent to an adult BMI of 30 and over).
Source:
NSW School Students Health Behaviours Survey, 2005 (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health.
Excess body fat increases the risk of developing a range of health problems including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, certain cancers, sleep apnoea, osteoarthritis, psychological disorders and social problems (AIHW, 2006).
There is a lack of recent national data on overweight and obesity among children and adolescents (AIHW, 2006). The 1995 National Health Survey found that the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 years was 19.5% for boys and 21.1% for girls (AIHW, 2006).
Height and weight were reported by students in the NSW Secondary School Students Behavioural Survey in 2005 in order to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI). Over three quarters (78.8%) of students were calculated as being at a healthy weight, however 16.6% were overweight and 4.6% were obese. Overall 27.4% of males and 13.6% of females aged 12-17 years were overweight or obese. There was no difference by age group, however a higher proportion of females (86%) were at the healthy weight than males (73%).
The NSW Government Action Plan for the Prevention of Obesity in Children and Young People 2003-07 contains 34 individual actions that the NSW Government is currently implementing to address the prevention of obesity in children and young people (NSW Health, 2003). In addition, the NSW Department of Health has developed a strategic plan for population health, Healthy people 2010 (NSW Health, 2006). The strategy relating to reducing obesity will involve different levels of government, industry and the community working together to implement coordinated programs, services and infrastructure across the priority areas of schools, community, parents and childcare promoting healthy weight through increasing physical activity and encouraging healthy eating habits.
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Population Health Division. The health of the people of New South Wales -
Report of the Chief Health Officer. Sydney: NSW Department of Health. Available at:
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/public-health/chorep/beh/beh_bmistud_cat.htm. Accessed (insert date of access).
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