Factors associated with overweight and obesity among primary school children in Xiamen, China: a cross-sectional study

Objective To investigate the factors associated with overweight/obesity among children aged 6–12 years in Xiamen, China, and to provide evidence for the health management of obesity in children and adolescents. Methods The “Questionnaire on Lifestyle Habits of Primary School Students in Xiamen” was developed, and the questionnaire was distributed to guardians of students in two primary schools in Xiamen through the Wenjuanxing online survey platform. The children were divided into a non-overweight/obesity group and an overweight/obesity group, and statistical analyses were performed. Results A total of 1,524 valid questionnaires were finally collected. Multivariable analysis showed that male sex, consuming zero-calorie beverages more than twice per week and being driven to school by parents were positively associated with overweight/obesity in children, whereas eating sweets more than twice per week, a moderate meal duration (10–20 min per meal), a slow meal duration (>20 min per meal), longer outdoor activity time during holidays (>2 h/day), and accumulating at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on 2–4 days or on 5–7 days per week were inversely associated with overweight/obesity. Conclusion Overweight/obesity among school-aged children in Xiamen is associated with multiple factors, including diet, commuting mode and physical activity. Concerted efforts across the whole of society are needed to guide children towards healthy lifestyles and to improve public health.