Cohort Profile: The Finnish Health in Teens (Fin-HIT) study: a population-based study

Abstract

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents is increasing globally. In high-income countries, the prevalence of obesity has plateaued, although the rate is still high. Children with overweight and obesity are likely to stay obese into adulthood and tend to develop certain diseases, such as pulmonary, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, more frequently and at a younger age. Overweight and obesity develop as a consequence of the imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure, and they are heavily influenced by poor eating habits, inadequate sleep and low physical activity level. Only about 20% of 13–15-year-old adolescents worldwide achieve the recommended 60 min per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. At the same time, the number of hours per day that children and adolescents sit in front of a screen, especially in front of a computer screen, is increasing.