TABLE 1.
Weighted percentage estimates (standard error [SE]) of demographic characteristics, physical activities, watching television, and attempting to control weight of ninth-grade school children in Matamoros (Tamaulipas, Mexico), 2002-2003, and in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Texas, United States of America), 2000-2001a, b
| Matamoros Girls (n = 357) (N = 3 074) | Matamoros Boys (n = 296) (N = 2 574) | Lower Rio Grande Valley Girls (n = 2 378) (N = 9 976) | Lower Rio Grande Valley Boys (n = 2 358) (N = 9 870) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted % | SE | Weighted % | SE | Weighted % | SE | Weighted % | SE | |
| Students' marital status | ||||||||
| Single, never married | 94.48 | 0.44 | 92.63 | 1.14 | 80.90 | 0.75 | 75.18 | 1.27 |
| Living with a partner or significant other but not married | 0.93 | 0.77 | 2.75 | 0.89 | 5.75 | 0.41 | 8.54 | 1.13 |
| Married | 3.20 | 0.41 | 3.18 | 1.30 | 11.82 | 0.79 | 13.41 | 0.83 |
| Separated, divorced, or widowed | 1.40 | 0.53 | 1.45 | 0.59 | 1.54 | 0.35 | 2.88 | 0.67 |
| Family's standard of living | ||||||||
| Very well-off | 3.54 | 0.96 | 4.72 | 1.39 | 15.65 | 1.48 | 18.99 | 1.29 |
| Living very comfortably or just getting along | 91.77 | 0.81 | 84.29 | 2.23 | 81.43 | 1.48 | 76.75 | 1.30 |
| Nearly poor or poor | 4.69 | 0.47 | 11.00 | 2.16 | 2.92 | 0.32 | 4.26 | 0.49 |
| BMIclassification | ||||||||
| Normal | 71.37 | 1.90 | 64.73 | 3.15 | 71.26 | 0.77 | 60.68 | 1.87 |
| At risk of overweight | 15.04 | 1.51 | 14.53 | 2.15 | 17.99 | 1.22 | 16.29 | 1.21 |
| Overweight | 13.59 | 1.36 | 20.75 | 2.94 | 10.75 | 1.06 | 23.03 | 1.44 |
| Physical activity | ||||||||
| Vigorous | 39.45 | 5.08 | 61.17 | 5.01 | 56.03 | 1.99 | 63.52 | 2.15 |
| Moderate | 11.78 | 1.30 | 20.52 | 2.35 | 19.55 | 0.98 | 24.34 | 0.90 |
| Strength training | 24.58 | 1.93 | 43.84 | 2.55 | 50.69 | 1.84 | 62.72 | 1.57 |
| Physical education class enrollment | 95.72 | 1.51 | 94.84 | 1.68 | 55.24 | 3.76 | 62.01 | 2.29 |
| Sports team participation | 48.39 | 3.13 | 63.36 | 1.36 | 50.69 | 1.73 | 64.38 | 0.88 |
| All of the five activities | 3.51 | 1.93 | 12.25 | 1.97 | 6.85 | 0.54 | 12.10 | 0.44 |
| Watching television an average of three or more hours per day on a school day | 57.12 | 1.31 | 57.89 | 3.75 | 48.96 | 0.72 | 50.76 | 0.90 |
| Attempted weight control during the past 30 days | ||||||||
| Exercise to lose weight | 47.24 | 2.58 | 45.88 | 2.38 | 66.77 | 1.49 | 61.64 | 1.21 |
| Eat less food | 43.48 | 1.23 | 35.24 | 3.84 | 51.02 | 0.94 | 30.01 | 0.91 |
| Go without eating for 24 hours or more | 14.57 | 2.49 | 10.06 | 1.74 | 21.55 | 0.95 | 10.15 | 1.21 |
| Take any diet pills, powder, or liquids | 3.60 | 1.26 | 3.41 | 1.78 | 10.30 | 1.03 | 6.74 | 0.72 |
| Vomit or take laxatives | 6.40 | 1.90 | 1.71 | 1.55 | 10.95 | 0.73 | 5.50 | 0.76 |
| Trying to do something about weight during the past 30 days | ||||||||
| Lose weight | 26.31 | 0.70 | 29.27 | 3.91 | 62.55 | 1.03 | 41.26 | 0.79 |
| Stay in the same weight | 35.15 | 4.17 | 35.68 | 3.99 | 14.97 | 0.65 | 22.28 | 0.95 |
| Gain weight | 13.49 | 0.71 | 10.55 | 2.16 | 8.66 | 0.77 | 20.23 | 0.75 |
| Not trying to do anything | 25.05 | 2.42 | 24.50 | 5.49 | 13.83 | 0.55 | 16.23 | 0.76 |
a
The n values are the sample size, and the N values in the table represent the total estimated student population using the sampling weights
b
The median age (standard error) for Matamoros girls was 14.03 (0.08) and for Matamoros boys was 14.26 (0.08). The median age (standard error) for LRGV girls was 14.48 (0.04) and for LRGV boys was 14.61 (0.06).