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Background: Monitoring overweight in risk groups is necessary. Our aim is to assess the trend in overweight and obesity in Turkish and Moroccan children in the Netherlands since 1997 and to monitor the levels of lifestyle-related behaviours in 2009. Methods: We selected cross-sectional data of Turkish and Moroccan children aged 2-18 years from two national Growth Studies performed in 1997 and 2009 in the Netherlands. Lifestyle-related behaviours were obtained in the 2009 study by questionnaire. Results: In 2009, 31.9% of Turkish and 26.6% of Moroccan children had overweight, whereas this was, respectively, 26.7% and 19.6% in 1997. Already at 2 years, 21.1% in Turkish and 22.7% in Moroccan children had overweight in 2009. The prevalence of obesity was above 4% from 3 years onwards. High (i.e. ≥25%) prevalence rates of unhealthy lifestyle-related behaviours were found for not having breakfast (26-49%) among Turkish and Moroccan adolescent (i.e. 15-18 years) girls, consuming no fruit (29-45%) and watching TV/PC ≥2h (35-72%) among all Turkish and Moroccan adolescents, no walking/cycling to school/day care among preschool children (2-4 years) (28-56%) and adolescents (34-94%), drinking ≥2 glasses of sweet beverages (44-74%) and being <1 h physically active (29-65%) among all children. Conclusion: An upward trend of overweight and obesity occurred in Turkish and Moroccan children. Already at 2 years of age, one out of five Turkish and Moroccan children had overweight, which calls for early prevention with attention to specific lifestyle-related behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore factors that influence intention to participate in hemoglobinopathy (HbP) carrier screening under Dutch subjects at risk, since HbP became more common in The Netherlands.Method: Structured interviews with 301 subjects from Turkish, Moroccan, or Surinamese ethnicity.Results: Half of the participants were familiar with HbP, 27% with carrier screening. Only 55% correctly answered basic knowledge items. After balanced information, 83% percent of subjects express intention to participate in HbP carrier screening. Intention to participate was correlated with (1) anticipated negative feelings, (2) valuing a physician's advice, and (3) beliefs on significance of carrier screening. Risk perception was a significant determinant, while respondents were unaware of HbP as endemic in their country of birth. Respondents preferred screening before pregnancy and at cost < 50€.Conclusion: These findings show the importance of informing those at risk by tailored health education. We propose easy access at no costs for those willing to participate in HbP carrier screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To study trends in height of Turkish and Moroccan immigrant children living in The Netherlands, to investigate the association between height and background characteristics in these children, and to calculate height-for-age-references data for these groups., Design: Nationwide cross-sectional data collection from children aged 0 to 18 years by trained professionals in 1997 and 2009. The study population consisted of 2,822 Turkish 2,779 Moroccan, and 13,705 Dutch origin children in 1997 and 2,548 Turkish, 2,594 Moroccan, and 11,255 Dutch origin children in 2009., Main Outcome Measures: Mean height in cm, and mean height standard deviation scores., Results: In 2009, mean height at the age of 18 y was similar for Turkish and Moroccan children: 177 cm for boys and 163 cm for girls, which was 2 to 3 cm taller than in 1997. Still, Turkish and Moroccan adolescents were 5.5 cm (boys) to 7 cm (girls) shorter than their Dutch peers. No significant differences were found in mean height standard deviation scores across the educational level of the parents, geographical region, primary language spoken at home, and immigrant generation., Conclusions: While the secular height increase in Dutch children came to a halt, the trend in Turkish and Moroccan children living in The Netherlands continued. However, large differences in height between Turkish and Moroccan children and Dutch children remain. We found no association with the background characteristics. We recommend the use of the new growth charts for children of Turkish and Moroccan origin who have a height-for-age below -2SD on the growth chart for Dutch children.

Background: Morbid obesity can be a life threatening condition. The aim of our study is to assess the trend in morbid obesity in The Netherlands among children of Dutch origin since 1980, and among children of Turkish and Moroccan origin since 1997., Methods and Findings: Cross-sectional height and weight data of children of Dutch, Turkish and Moroccan origin aged 2-18 years were selected from three national Dutch Growth Studies performed in 1980, 1997 and 2009 (n = 54,814). Extended international (IOTF) cut-offs in childhood were used to define morbid obesity (obesity class II and III combined). The morbidity index for overweight was calculated as the prevalence of morbid obesity divided by the prevalence of overweight. Our study showed that the prevalence of morbid obesity in children of Dutch origin was 0.59% in boys and 0.53% in girls in 2009. Significant upward trends occurred since 1980 and 1997. The prevalence was three to four fold higher in Turkish children compared to Dutch children. The Turkish children also had an upward trend since 1997, but this was only statistically significant in boys. The prevalence of morbid obesity in Moroccan children was two to three fold higher than in Dutch children, but it remained almost stable between 1997 and 2009. The Dutch and Turkish children showed an upward trend in morbidity index for overweight since respectively 1980 and 1997, while the Moroccan children showed a downward trend since 1997. In 2009, children of low educated parents had the highest prevalence rates of morbid obesity; 1.06% in Dutch, 2.11% in Turkish and 1.41% in Moroccan children., Conclusions and Significance: An upward trend of morbid obesity in Dutch and Turkish children in The Netherlands occurred. Monitoring and reducing the prevalence of childhood morbid obesity is of high importance for these children, health care and the community.

Background/aims: Studies on the association between head circumference (HC) and height or weight have shown variable results., Methods: Using data from the Dutch nationwide survey performed in 1997 (n = 14,500), we calculated correlations for different ages, and fitted a regression model for the estimation of HC. HC versus height charts were created for different age groups. Data from children from other ethnic groups and children with various growth disorders were plotted on the charts and compared with reference data., Results: Correlations between HC and height or weight showed similar patterns: highest at birth, followed by a rapid decline to a stable level and a peak in adolescence. On charts containing the regression line ±2 standard deviations for subjects aged 0-2 months and 2 months to 21 years, Turkish and Moroccan children, as well as children with idiopathic short stature and small for gestational age, had a normal HC for height, whereas children with an insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor defect or Sotos syndrome showed trends towards a smaller or larger HC for height, respectively., Conclusion: HC correlates strongly with height and weight. The charts of HC for height may serve as an additional tool to interpret HC in short or tall children., (Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.)