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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Short-term predictors of abdominal obesity in children
Glykeria Psarra1, George P Nassis, Labros S Sidossis
1Laboratory of Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Greece.
Insights
Childhood obesity tracking is high, with boys more likely to develop abdominal obesity. Low cardiorespiratory fitness and high waist circumference predict persistent obesity in youth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Childhood Obesity Research
- Public Health Nutrition
Background:
- Abdominal adiposity is a growing concern in pediatric populations.
- Understanding the tracking of abdominal obesity is crucial for early intervention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the short-term tracking of abdominal adiposity in children aged 6-12 years.
- To identify predictors of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WaistC) over a 2-year period.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 918 children (477 boys) over 2 years.
- Assessment of central obesity via WaistC, body fat distribution via waist-to-hip ratio, maturity, parental fatness, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF).
- Multiple and logistic regression analyses were used to determine predictors of BMI and WaistC.
Main Results:
- High tracking of body fatness (r = 0.69-0.86) and body fat distribution observed.
- A greater percentage of boys moved to higher WaistC quartiles compared to girls (22.0% vs 14.1%).
- Child's sex, maturity, baseline WaistC, CRF, and maternal BMI predicted 76% of BMI and WaistC variability. High baseline WaistC and low CRF increased the risk of remaining in the upper WaistC quartile.
Conclusions:
- Youth with elevated baseline WaistC and low CRF have a higher likelihood of persistent central obesity.
- Boys exhibited a greater tendency towards increased abdominal obesity over the 2-year follow-up.
- Findings highlight the need to consider sex differences and fitness levels in childhood obesity prevention programs.
Background:
The aim of this study was to examine the short-term tracking of abdominal adiposity in children.
Methods:
A total of 918 children (477 boys) aged 6-12 years at baseline were followed-up for 2 years. Central obesity was assessed by waist circumference (WaistC), whereas body fat distribution by waist-to-hip ratio. Maturity was assessed by the Khamis-Roche method. Parental fatness and children's cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) were also evaluated. Multiple and logistic regressions were employed to identify the predictors of BMI and WaistC.
Results:
Tracking of body fatness and body fat distribution was high (r = 0.69-0.86, P < 0.01). More boys remained obese than girls (P < 0.05), whereas a greater percentage of boys moved to a higher quartile of WaistC after the 2-year follow-up (22.0 vs 14.1%, P < 0.01). Sex, child's maturity and WaistC at baseline, CRF, and maternal BMI explained 76% of the variability in BMI and WaistC at the follow-up (n = 290). Children with high WaistC at baseline and low CRF presented 1.9- and 4.3-fold increased risk of remaining in the upper quartile of WaistC at the follow-up (P < 0.01; n = 552).
Conclusion:
Youth with increased WaistC at baseline and low CRF presented an increased chance of maintaining central obesity at the follow-up. More boys than girls moved into a higher quartile of abdominal obesity during the 2-year follow-up period and this should be taken into account in designing programmes for childhood obesity.
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