[Conditioning factors of weight condition]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Public Health Nutrition
• Childhood Obesity Research

Background:

• Childhood obesity rates have surged globally over the past two decades, posing a significant public health challenge.
• Poor dietary habits, insufficient physical activity, and sedentary lifestyles contribute to escalating obesity rates, often leading to adult obesity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of modifiable lifestyle factors, including diet, physical activity, inactivity, and sleep, on the weight status of school-aged children.
• To identify potential correlations between specific lifestyle behaviors and anthropometric measurements in children.

Main Methods:

• An observational, retrospective, cross-sectional study involving 129 schoolchildren aged 6-12 years in Madrid.
• Data collection included anthropometric measurements (weight, height, waist circumference), dietary habits (Kidmed questionnaire), physical activity levels (IPAQ-adapted), and sleep duration.

Main Results:

• A significant prevalence of excess weight was observed in 28.1% of the participating children.
• No statistically significant associations were found between the studied modifiable factors (diet, physical activity, inactivity, sleep) and children's weight status.
• Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were noted in physical activity levels and sedentary time between genders, with girls exhibiting lower levels than boys.

Conclusions:

• The study could not establish a definitive influence of the investigated modifiable factors on the weight status of the studied children.
• The findings suggest that genetic and environmental factors, beyond the assessed lifestyle habits, may play a crucial role in childhood weight status.
• Further research is warranted to explore a broader range of factors influencing childhood obesity.