Weight and weight related behaviours among NSW students from low SES and non-English speaking backgrounds: Secondary analysis of the NSW Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey 2010

Abstract

The 2010 SPANS survey showed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity among NSW school students has not increased since 2004, stabilizing at 22.8%. The findings reported in the SPANS Full Report also indicate that many children engage in a range of adverse weight related behaviours and that the prevalence of weight-related behaviours varied according to socioeconomic status (SES) and cultural background. The findings may have implications for policy regarding interventions among school aged children and the design of interventions for different sociodemographic groups. The purpose of the report is to undertake more detailed data analyses regarding socioeconomic and cultural variations in students’ health behaviours, in order to inform the NSW Ministry of Health, Local Health Districts (LHD) and other government and non-government stakeholders.