The aim of the study was to determine socio-economic and parental factors
affecting odds for development of obesity in school-age children from south-eastern Poland
(SEP). 2,182 boys and 2,066 girls from randomly selected elementary schools in
SEP were involved in this study. The mean age of the girls was 10.4 years (SD 2.4, range
6.7–14.9). The mean age of the boys was 10.5 years (SD 2.3, range 6.9–14.9). 167 boys
(7.7%, 95% CI: 6.6–8.8%) and 208 girls (10.1%, 95% CI: 8.8–11.4%) were obese. The
difference in prevalence of obesity between genders was statistically signifi cant. Socioeconomic
risk factors (RF) were different from those in Western Europe or the United
States. A small number of siblings was RF for obesity. Intact family had a protective
effect. No correlation was found between child’s obesity and parental education, income
per capita or mother working outside the home. Parental obesity was RF for the obesity
in children. High BMI at birth was an RF for obesity. A distinct pattern of socio-economic
RF underlines the importance of population specifi c epidemiological studies. Defi ning
RF in a specifi c region provides information to design specifi c preventive strategies