Geographical distribution of simple and abdominal obesity among 17-year-old adolescents in Greece

• The epicenters of overweight, obesity and central obesity during late adolescence throughout the country were identified.
• Elevated prevalence of underweight was recorded among girls living in Central Greece and the Peloponnese peninsula.
• The ratios of overweight including obesity were similar to other populations from Southern European countries.

AimThe study aimed to assess the prevalence of simple and abdominal obesity, among 17-year-olds, in each geographical district of Greece.MethodsA nationally representative sample of 5759 adolescents was recruited from secondary schools. Weight, stature and waist circumference were measured. Weight status was defined according to the International Obesity Task Force criteria and abdominal obesity with the International Diabetes Federation criteria.ResultsThe majority of the adolescents were classified as normoweight (70.9%), 3.9% were underweight, 19.3% were overweight and 5.3% obese, while 8.9% were centrally obese. Underweight ranged from 2.6% in Crete to 8.9% in central Greece. Obesity ranged from 4.8% in Epirus to 8.8% in the Aegean islands. The prevalence of overweight spanned from 15.8% (Ionian Islands and Crete) to 23.9% in the Aegean Sea. The highest prevalence of overweight plus obesity was recorded in the Aegean islands, while central obesity was more prevalent in Thessaly.ConclusionThe study indicates a variation in the prevalence of overweight and obesity throughout Greece and identifies obesogenic hotspots. These results could be of use for the development of regional school-based intervention protocols.