Is the prevalence of overweight reducing at age 5-6 years? Ten years data collection in ASL Milano 2.

Background: Prevalence of overweight and obesity has been reported as high even in preschool age children. However, recent international reports suggest that prevalence is now plateauing in pediatric age. Up to now no data are available on prevalence changes in Italy in the new Millennium.

[Usefulness of the 5-6-yrs-old anthropometric health report for the evaluation of childhood overweight and obesity: pilot study in Lombardia (Italy)].

Objective: To verify the possibility to use the Anthropometric Health Report (AHR), containing the BMI value, for overweight/obesity evaluation in 5-6-years-old children.

Design: Between January 2001 and December 2004, 4619 AHR had been examined. BMI values were compared with age and sex-specific BMI cutoffs, according to Cole, as well as with a single BMI value, calculated as the mean between boys and girls cutoff at 5.