Prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in Slovakia from 2018 to 2022: An epidemiological analysis

Background: Obesity is a global issue significantly impacting children's health and increasing the likelihood of overweight persisting into adulthood. This study aimed to analyse the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children in Slovakia between 2018 and 2022, considering selected sociodemographic variables and regional disparities. Methods: Data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children aged 0–18 years, disaggregated by gender, age, and Slovak regions, were obtained from ''Annual Reports on the Activities of General Paediatric Practices'' (2018–2022) available on the website of the National Health Information Centre. Results: Between 2018 and 2022, there was an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity across all Slovak regions. Among older children (aged 15 and above), the number of obese individuals nearly doubled in most regions. In 2022, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the lowest prevalence of overweight and obesity was recorded in urban regions compared to rural regions. Gender analysis revealed consistently higher prevalence rates among boys across all years studied. Conclusion: The number of overweight and obese children in Slovakia continues to rise. The COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated this trend, as evidenced by the observed prevalence increase during the study period across all Slovak regions. The findings suggest that the regional environment influences the risk of childhood obesity. Understanding current trends at both the national and regional levels is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of existing interventions and informing future health policy changes.