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Published on: February 2, 2017
Obesity Risk Assessment Tool for Low-Income Spanish Speaking Immigrant Parents with Young Children: Validity with BMI
Marilyn S Townsend1, Mical K Shilts2, Louise Lanoue1
1Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Insights
The Niños Sanos tool accurately assesses pediatric obesity risk in Hispanic children. Higher scores correlate with healthier weight and metabolic profiles, validating its use for early intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric obesity research
- Nutritional sciences
- Public health
Background:
- Hispanic children face high obesity risks, influenced by family environments and feeding practices.
- Excess body fat in children elevates risks for metabolic diseases and adverse lipid profiles.
- Validating assessment tools is crucial for effective pediatric obesity interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the criterion validity of the Niños Sanos pediatric obesity risk assessment tool.
- To assess the tool's accuracy using anthropometric measures and blood biomarkers in young children.
- To evaluate the tool's utility for Spanish-speaking families of Mexican origin.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study over eight weeks with 206 parent/child dyads.
- Recruitment from Head Start and WIC programs in Northern California.
- Criterion validity assessed using anthropometric data (BMI-for-age, waist-for-height) and blood biomarkers (metabolic, lipid, anti-inflammatory indices).
Main Results:
- Niños Sanos scores showed inverse relationships with child BMI-for-age percentiles (p=0.02) and waist-for-height ratios (p=0.05).
- Scores were inversely related to metabolic (p=0.03) and lipid (p=0.05) indices, and positively related to the anti-inflammatory index (p=0.047).
- Higher Niños Sanos scores indicated healthier lipid, metabolic, and inflammatory profiles, and lower anthropometric measures.
Conclusions:
- The Niños Sanos tool demonstrates criterion validity for assessing pediatric obesity risk.
- The tool can be utilized by researchers, clinicians, and educators for screening and behavior change goal setting.
- Niños Sanos supports early identification and intervention for at-risk Hispanic children.
Abstract:
Children of Hispanic origin bear a high risk of obesity. Child weight gain trajectories are influenced by the family environment, including parent feeding practices. Excessive body fat can result in unhealthful metabolic and lipid profiles and increased risk of metabolic diseases. The objective was to estimate criterion validity of an obesity risk assessment tool targeting Spanish-speaking families of Mexican origin using anthropometric measures and blood values of their young children. A cross-sectional study design with five data collection sessions was conducted over an eight-week period and involved 206 parent/child dyads recruited at Head Start and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children in Northern California. Main outcome measures were criterion validity of Niños Sanos, a pediatric obesity risk assessment tool, using anthropometric measures and blood biomarkers. Niños Sanos scores were inversely related to child BMI-for-age percentiles (p = 0.02), waist-for-height ratios (p = 0.05) and inversely related to blood biomarkers for the metabolic index (p = 0.03) and lipid index (p = 0.05) and positively related to anti-inflammatory index (p = 0.047). Overall, children with higher Niños Sanos scores had more healthful lipid, metabolic and inflammatory profiles, as well as lower BMI-for-age percentiles and waist-to height ratios, providing evidence for the criterion validity of the tool. Niños Sanos can be used by child obesity researchers, by counselors and medical professionals during clinic visits as a screening tool and by educators as a tool to set goals for behavior change.
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