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Physical activity and BMI: evidence from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement
Caroline W Hohensee1, Mary A Nies
1Department of Health Administration, Pfeiffer University, 4701 Park Road Drive, Charlotte NC 28209, USA. caroline_hohensee@hotmail.com
Insights
Engaging in at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity is crucial for reducing obesity risk in school-aged children. Low activity levels significantly increase the odds of being obese compared to moderate activity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Obesity Research
- Physical Activity Studies
Background:
- Assesses the link between physical activity and Body Mass Index (BMI) percentile in adolescents.
- Highlights the importance of including both in-school and out-of-school physical activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the association between physical activity levels and BMI percentile in middle and high school students.
- To identify factors influencing obesity risk in school-aged children.
Main Methods:
- Secondary data analysis of 1306 children from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement (CDS III, 2007).
- Utilized multinomial logistic regression to analyze the relationship between physical activity and BMI percentile.
- Controlled for covariates including age, gender, race/ethnicity, parental income, and neighborhood safety.
Main Results:
- Children with low daily physical activity had 1.8 times the odds of being obese versus normal weight compared to those with moderate activity.
- African-American and Hispanic children showed higher odds of being obese compared to non-Hispanic white children.
- Female students had approximately 1.5 times the odds of being overweight compared to males.
Conclusions:
- Accumulating 30 or more minutes of daily physical activity may effectively reduce obesity prevalence in middle and high school children.
- Promoting regular physical activity is a key strategy for combating childhood obesity.
Background:
This study assessed the association between amount of physical activity and body mass index (BMI) percentile among middle and high school children. Total daily physical activity needs to include both in and out of school physical activity.
Methods:
A secondary data analysis was performed on 1306 children drawn from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement (CDS III, 2007). The dependent variable in this study was BMI percentile, while the independent variable was physical activity. The multinomial logistic regression model was used to assess the associations between physical activity and BMI percentile controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, parental income, and neighborhood safety.
Results:
Children who engaged in low daily physical activity levels had 1.8 times the odds of being obese versus normal weight than those who engaged in moderate levels [odds ratio (OR) = 1.80, confidence interval (CI) = 1.31, 2.48]. African-American children had 1.6 times the odds of being obese than normal weight (OR = 1.55, CI = 0.99, 2.43) and Hispanic children had approximately 1.8 times the odds of being obese than normal weight in comparison to non-Hispanic white children (OR = 1.79, CI = 1.00, 3.21). Females had about 1.5 times the odds of being overweight than normal weight than males (OR = 1.49, CI = 1.04, 2.13).
Conclusions:
This study suggests that the accumulation of 30 minutes or more of daily physical activity may be effective in decreasing obesity prevalence among middle and high school-aged children.
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