Obesity in a group of Italian elementary school children: family structure.

Risk factors associated with childhood obesity were examined in children of the elementary school of Aosta (northern Italy). In data from 2044 families none of the variables investigated (sibship size, mother's age, birth rank, the ‘temporarily-one-child syndrome’, and number of living parents) was found to have a significant association with the frequency of obesity, though weak associations for family size and the number of living parents may exist. The only significant difference found was between children of parents from northern Italy and those from southern Italy (recent immigrants).