{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T05:00:23Z","timestamp":1787029223043,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"20","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,15]],"date-time":"2024-10-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1728950400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The rising prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents is a global public health concern, significantly contributing to noncommunicable chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. In Croatia, obesity rates are alarmingly high, affecting both children and adults. Data from the Institute of the Public Health of Split-Dalmatian County were analyzed to identify trends in body mass index (BMI) among primary school students in Split, Croatia and possible connection with sports participation and parental education levels. A longitudinal analysis of students was conducted across three medical examinations during primary school education. The findings showed an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity from 23.4% in the first to 30.2% in the fifth grade, returning back to 23.4% in the eighth grade. Significant differences among students were associated with parental education level. Boys who participated in sports demonstrated a higher BMI in the first grade but there was no difference in BMI in later grades. Sports participation had no significant impact on the BMI of girls. The study underscores the critical role of parental education in influencing children\u2019s weight status and highlights the necessity of tailored public health interventions to address these trends from an early age. The implementation of comprehensive strategies, including educational programs and policy measures as part of the national health policy, is the only way to combat childhood obesity and promote long-term health benefits.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu16203488","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,15]],"date-time":"2024-10-15T09:12:50Z","timestamp":1728983570000},"page":"3488","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity among Primary School Students in Split, Croatia"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-2799-5232","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ivan","family":"\u0160imunovi\u0107","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, University of Split, \u0160oltanska 2a, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7610-4891","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dina","family":"Mr\u010dela","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, University of Split, \u0160oltanska 2a, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7148-7368","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"\u017deljka","family":"Karin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Teaching Institute of Public Health of Split-Dalmatian County, Vukovarska 46, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1517-720X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zenon","family":"Pogoreli\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, University of Split, \u0160oltanska 2a, 21000 Split, Croatia"},{"name":"Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Split, Spin\u010di\u0107eva 1, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9469-9278","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u0161ko","family":"Marki\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, University of Split, \u0160oltanska 2a, 21000 Split, Croatia"},{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Split, Spin\u010di\u0107eva 1, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1186\/gm259","article-title":"Systems Medicine and Integrated Care to Combat Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases","volume":"3","author":"Bousquet","year":"2011","journal-title":"Genome Med."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1072","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(18)31992-5","article-title":"NCD Countdown 2030: Worldwide Trends in Non-Communicable Disease Mortality and Progress towards Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.4","volume":"392","author":"Bennett","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hosseinpoor, A.R., Bergen, N., Mendis, S., Harper, S., Verdes, E., Kunst, A., and Chatterji, S. 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