Associations between BMI and visual impairment of 33 407 preschool children in Germany: a pooled cross-sectional
Weina Liu1,2, Rainer Schwertz3, Andreas Welker3
1Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Insights
Childhood obesity in Germany is rising. Obese preschool children with immigrant backgrounds showed a higher likelihood of visual impairment, highlighting a need for targeted support.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric ophthalmology
- Public health
- Child development
Background:
- Increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in German children.
- Potential impact of high body weight on children's growth and visual development.
- Need to investigate the link between body mass index (BMI) and visual impairment in preschoolers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the association between BMI and visual impairment in preschool children.
- To explore obesity as a predictor of visual developmental disorders.
- Focus on children with immigrant backgrounds in Germany.
Main Methods:
- Utilized six years of School Entry Examination data (2013-2018).
- Included preschool children aged 4-6 years from Rhine-Neckar County and Heidelberg.
- Employed univariate/multivariate regression and multiple imputation for data analysis.
Main Results:
- Obese preschool children with immigrant backgrounds had a 1.20 odds ratio for visual impairment (99% CI: 1.02-1.42).
- This association remained significant after adjusting for multiple confounding factors.
- Statistical significance was observed at P < 0.01.
Conclusions:
- Confirmed significant associations between obesity and visual impairment in German preschool children with immigrant backgrounds.
- Emphasized the need for tailored support strategies for vulnerable groups in educational settings.
- Highlighted public health implications of childhood obesity on visual health.
Background:
Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Germany is increasing. High body weight can affect children's growth and development. This paper aimed to determine the association between body mass index (BMI) and visual impairment among preschool children and explore the potential role of obesity in predicting visual developmental disorder.
Methods:
Six consecutive years of data from the School Entry Examination were collected for all preschool children aged from 4 to 6 years residing in Rhine-Neckar County and the City of Heidelberg, Germany from 2013 to 2018. Univariate and multivariate regression were used to analyze the complete data, multiple imputation was used to deal with missing data.
Results:
Among the group with an immigrant background, children with obesity [OR = 1.20, 99% (1.02-1.42)] were more likely to have visual impairment compared to those with normal body weight (P < 0.01) after adjusting for survey year, age, and gender of children, education and occupation of parents, screen time-frequency, whether a television was in their bedroom, and quality of preschool outdoor environment.
Conclusion:
There were significant associations between obesity and visual impairment among German preschool children with immigrant backgrounds. Strategies to support vulnerable groups were needed across all regional schools.
