Evidence mapPaperPMID 40358053Full record

ArticlePediatric obesity2025

Geographic and ethnic inequalities in total and central obesity, and physical fitness among preschool children: Insights from the PREFIT project.

Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez, Jorge R Fernández-Santos, Mairena Sánchez-López, Natalia García-Corada, Diego Moliner-Urdiales, Nuria Romero-Parra, Manuel A Rodriguez Perez, Pere Palou, Cecilia Dorado-García, German Vicente-Rodríguez and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pediatric obesity, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Cristina Cadenas-SanchezDepartment of Cardiology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4513-9108
Jorge R Fernández-SantosGaleno Research Group, Department of Physical Education, School of Education, University of Cádiz, Spain.
Mairena Sánchez-LópezUniversidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Health and Social Research Center, Spain.
Natalia García-CoradaDepartment of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Education and Sport, Deusto University, Bilbao, Spain.
Diego Moliner-UrdialesLIFE Research Group, Universitat Jaume I, Castellon, Spain.
Nuria Romero-ParraLFE Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Manuel A Rodriguez PerezSPORT Research Group (CTS-1024), CIBIS Research Center, Department of Education, University of Almeria, Spain.
Pere PalouDepartment of Education, University of the Balearic Islands, Spain.
Cecilia Dorado-GarcíaDepartment of Physical Education and Research, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
German Vicente-RodríguezGENUD "Growth, Exercise, NUtrition and Development" Research Group (EXER_GENUD S72_23R), Faculty of Health and Sport Science (FCSD), Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón -IA2-, University of Zaragoza, CIBER of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERObn), Madrid, Spain.
Francisco B OrtegaFaculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
David Jiménez-PavónMOVE-IT Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education Sciences and Biomedical Research Innovation Institute of Cádiz, University of Cádiz, Spain.

Funding

Biomedical Research Networking Center on Frailty and Healthy Aging (CIBERFES)European Association for the Study of Obesity - Novo Nordisk Foundation NNF23SA0083955European Union CB16/10/00477European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, Marie Sklodowska Curie 101028929FEDERRamón y Cajal, the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness RYC-2011-09011
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesObesity and physical fitness are known to be influenced by various geographic factors and ethnicity in children. However, there is limited evidence on the level to which these factors can influence very early in life, at preschool age. This study aimed to describe and compare total and central obesity and physical fitness according to geographic factors and ethnicity in preschoolers.

methodsThis cross-sectional study included 3179 preschoolers (4.6 ± 0.9y, 52.8% boys). Geographic factors (location and type of area: rural/urban) were assessed based on the school setting, while ethnicity was determined through parental self-report. Total and central obesity and physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, speed-agility, balance) were assessed using the PREFIT battery.

resultsPreschoolers from southern regions of Spain presented higher total obesity along with lower performance in cardiorespiratory fitness and lower-limb muscular strength compared to their northern peers (p ≤ 0.017). However, they demonstrated greater levels of upper-limb muscular strength and balance (p < 0.001). Preschoolers from rural areas of Spain showed higher central obesity but better fitness performance compared to those from urban areas (p ≤ 0.004). White and African preschoolers showed lower levels of total and central obesity than Latin preschoolers (p ≤ 0.003) and performed better in upper-limb muscular strength and speed-agility compared to Asian or Latin preschoolers (p ≤ 0.037).

conclusionThis study highlights significant physical health inequalities among preschoolers based on geographical factors and ethnic backgrounds. These findings underscore the need for targeted public health strategies to address socioeconomic and environmental determinants of early-life health disparities.

Indexed as

EthnicityHealth Status DisparitiesObesity, AbdominalPediatric ObesityPhysical FitnessCardiorespiratory FitnessChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMuscle StrengthSpainbody mass indexcardiorespiratory fitnessmuscular strengthpreschoolersruralspeed‐agilityurbanwaist circumference

Identifiers

PMID40358053
PMCPMC12234420

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.