Obesity: study of cases in a population of immigrant children and adolescents

The growing number of immigrants in our country in the later years has determined the interest of health professionals in this phenomenon. This population presents with social, cultural and sanitary risks. One of the detected conditions in the pediatric office is overweight and obesity. This is a relevant health risk factor and the reason to undertake a study in our population of Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona). There are few pediatric studies in this field. Retrospective study taking the medical records of all the immigrant children in a pediatric setting of a basic health area in Hospitalet de Llobregat. The studied population covers the children born between 1998 and 2003. 58 immigrant children and adolescents have been studied. We observe a slight increment of obesity in the immigrant population, especially among young people from South America, with predominance of males. There is a group of special risk: immigrant population between 11 and 14 years, with high rates of obesity, always compared with native population.