PEDIATRIC HIGHLIGHT Prevalence of overweight in 6- to 15-year-old children in central/western France from 1996 to 2006: trends toward stabilization S Pe ´neau 1 , B Salanave 2 , L Maillard-Teyssier 1 , M-F Rolland-Cachera 1,2 , A-C Vergnaud 1 , C Me ´jean 1 , S Czernichow 1,3 , S Vol 4 , J Tichet 4 , K Castetbon 2 and S Hercberg 1,2,3 1 INSERM U557, INRA U1125, CNAM Univ Paris13, CRNH IdF, Unite´de Recherche en Epide´miologie Nutritionnelle, Bobigny, France; 2 InVS, CNAM, Univ Paris13, Unite´de Surveillance et d’Epide´miologie Nutritionelle, Bobigny, France; 3 De´partement de Sante´Publique, Hoˆpital Avicenne (AP-HP), Bobigny, France and 4 Institut inter Re´gional pour la Sante´ (IRSA), La Riche, France Objective: The prevalence of overweight in children has markedly increased over the past few decades in France, as in all Western countries. We sought to describe the yearly prevalence of childhood overweight from 1996 to 2006 and to assess whether a shift in trends could be observed dating from the time the Nutrition and Health National Program (PNNS) was set up in France in 2001, in particular according to gender, age and family economic status. Design: We used annual overweight prevalence of standardized 6- to 15-year-old populations (total ¼ 26 600) with weight and height measured at health examination centers in the central/western part of France between 1996 and 2006. Regression slopes of overweight prevalence were evaluated between 1996 and 2006, and specifically between 1996 and 2001, and 2001 and 2006. The annual prevalence and estimated slopes were compared in subgroups, taking into account gender, age and economic status of the family. Results: The prevalence increased between 1996 (11.5%) and 1998 (14.8%) and was stable between 1998 and 2006 (15.2%). According to linear regression, the overall trend in prevalence of overweight children between 1996 and 2006 was stable (slope ¼ 0.19, P ¼ 0.08). Similarly, the prevalence of overweight increased between 1996 and 1998 in boys and girls, in 6–10 year olds, in 11–15 year olds and in non-disadvantaged children, and remained stable thereafter. The prevalence of overweight in the disadvantaged group increased between 1996 (12.8%) and 2001 (18.9%) (slope ¼ 1.16, P ¼ 0.004) and was stable between 2001 and 2006 (18.2%) (slope ¼ 0.09, P ¼ 0.78). Conclusion: The results of this study reveal a stable prevalence of overweight since 1998 in most groups studied, and since 2001 in the disadvantaged group. International Journal of Obesity (2009) 33, 401–407; doi:10.1038/ijo.2009.31; published online 24 February 2009 Keywords: overweight; children; prevalence; public health; trends Introduction The prevalence of childhood overweight has increased worldwide throughout the past several decades. 1–3 Over- weight is now the most common childhood disorder in Europe, affecting one child out of six in 2002, and, in some parts of Europe, one child out of three. 4 Recent stabilization or a decrease in the prevalence of overweight and obese children has been observed in several countries, including France. 5–10 An effect of public health initiatives on the recent stabilization of overweight prevalence in children is hypothesized. 5,11 To manage the burden of overweight populations, govern- ments were advised to set up national programs 4 and international policies. 12 Many countries have begun health campaigns to prevent overweight. In France in 2001, the government established a Nutrition and Health National Program (‘Programme National Nutrition Sante ´,’ PNNS) to enhance the overall health status of the population through nutrition. 13 One of its priority objectives has been to stop the increase in childhood overweight and obesity. To attain this objective, the measures that have been implemented include Received 30 August 2008; revised 22 January 2009; accepted 25 January 2009; published online 24 February 2009 Correspondence: Professor S Hercberg, Nutritional Epidemiology Unit, UMR U557 INSERM; U1125 INRA; CNAM; Universite ´ Paris 13, CRNH-IdF, SMBH Paris 13, 74 rue Marcel Cachin, Bobigny 93017, France. E-mail: hercberg@uren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr International Journal of Obesity (2009) 33, 401–407 & 2009 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved 0307-0565/09 $32.00 www.nature.com/ijo