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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
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Dietary-related and physical activity-related predictors of obesity in children: a 2-year prospective study

Jordan A Carlson1, Noe C Crespo, James F Sallis

  • 1Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health, San Diego State University, CA 92123, USA.

Childhood Obesity (Print)
|July 18, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Increased physical activity and family breakfasts are linked to better childhood weight outcomes. Reducing sedentary time and sugary drinks also helps decrease body fat in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric obesity research
  • Childhood health behaviors
  • Preventive medicine

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern.
  • Understanding behavioral factors influencing BMI and body fat is crucial for prevention.
  • This study focuses on children aged 6-9 years.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine associations between physical activity and dietary behaviors with Body Mass Index (BMI) and body fat.
  • To investigate both cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships over 24 months.
  • To identify key behaviors for intervention in childhood obesity prevention.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study of 271 children from a community-based obesity prevention program (control group).
  • Baseline and 24-month assessments included anthropometrics and parent-reported child behaviors.
  • Statistical analyses included ANOVA and mixed-effects linear regression models.

Main Results:

  • Obese children showed less physical activity and more sedentary behavior at baseline.
  • Higher physical activity and family breakfast frequency correlated with lower BMI z-scores and body fat.
  • Reduced sedentary behavior and sugar-sweetened beverage intake were linked to decreased body fat.

Conclusions:

  • Physical activity, family meals, and reduced screen time are associated with improved adiposity in children.
  • Targeting these behaviors may be important for childhood obesity prevention strategies.
  • Future research should incorporate body fat percentage for more precise outcome assessment.
Abstract

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