Data collection In the context of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) in the State of Bremen
Description
- „WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) in Bremen“
For more than 15 years, the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO) has been organizing a cross-national initiative to record the development of the body weight status of children of primary school age, in which more than 40 countries in the European WHO region are now taking part (Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative; WHO). COSI). At intervals of 3 years, anthropometric measures and characteristics of the living environment (home and school) are recorded in representative samples of children of primary school age in this surveillance study.
The aim of this data collection is to create an internationally comparable database on weight trends and risk factors within the European WHO region in order to identify needs for health promotion measures and to evaluate the success of intervention measures.
As part of the survey, the children's height, body weight, waist circumference and hip circumference are measured according to standardized protocols.
The school questionnaire asks for information on the frequency of physical education classes, the availability of outdoor playgrounds, the range of food, drinks and snacks in the school and the availability of drink or snack vending machines.
In the family questionnaire, information is given by parents on the children's eating and physical activity behavior, on the socio-economic circumstances of the family, and the occurrence of illnesses within the family that are known to be associated with obesity.
The state of Bremen already took part in the WHO COSI Round 5 in the 2018/19 school year. The renewed participation in the WHO COSI Round 6 offers the opportunity to observe the data obtained over time and, in particular, to take a targeted look at the possible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 6th survey round was already started in some countries in the 2021/22 school year; due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the survey in Bremen was postponed by one year.
The State of Bremen (Bremische Senatorische Behörden "Health, Women and Consumer Protection" and "Science and Ports") acknowledges the participation in the WHO COSI survey as an opportunity to obtain a reliable database for preventive measures in schools and initiates this project as part of state health reporting, whereby it relies on the scientific and field work expertise of the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS.
Funding period
- Begin: September 2022
End: December 2023
Sponsor
- Senator for Science and Ports (Free Hanseatic City of Bremen)