Prevalence of overweight and obesity among children in Greenland

A growing concern

Bibliographic Data

ID24229752
AuthorsEmma Vang Frandsen (Aarhus University), Ida Hove Christensen (0009-0002-0472-6223, Aarhus University), Michael Lynge Pedersen (0000-0001-8059-9188, Steno Diabetes Center Greenland), Stine Byberg (0000-0002-3626-3609, Steno Diabetes Center Greenland)
Year2026
Volume85
Issue1
Pages2677425-2677425
Publication date2026-12-31
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Circumpolar Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1239-9736 • E-ISSN: 2242-3982
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/22423982.2026.2677425
PMID42175524
OpenAlexW7162208973
LanguageEN
References cited23

To investigate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children aged 3 to 10 years in Greenland. Further, to describe the prevalence of overweight and obesity according to sex, place of residence and age, including change over time. In a cross-sectional study, we included 4715 children aged 3-10 years, using data from the national electronic medical records. BMI was calculated and children were categorised into age and sex-specific weight classes according to cut-off values established by the International Obesity Task Force. In 2023, 37.1% of children in Greenland aged 3-10 years were classified as overweight or obese (12.6% obese). The proportion of children with normal weight was 61.1%. We saw no noticeable differences in the distribution of weight classes according to place of residence and sex. Further, our study illustrates a significant rise in the prevalence of overweight and obesity at the time of school entry, increasing from 7.5% in 1980 to 33.4% in 2023. This study demonstrates a high prevalence of overweight and obesity among children in Greenland, and further highlights a striking increase at school entry over recent decades. These findings underscore the urgent need for early prevention efforts and continued nationwide surveillance.

Body mass index · Childhood obesity · childhood overweight · Greenland · obesity surveillance · place of residence · Prevalence · Prevention · school entry · Sex differences · temporal trends · Healthcare Systems and Public Health · Obesity and Health Practices · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet

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