Reducing the Number of Times Eating Out Helps to Decrease Adiposity (Overweight/Obesity) in Children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Public Health Nutrition
• Obesity Research

Background:

• Adiposity is a chronic disease requiring early intervention from childhood.
• Few lifestyle interventions effectively quantify their impact on reducing adiposity.
• Childhood obesity presents a significant public health challenge necessitating evidence-based strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify specific eating habits that contribute to reducing body mass index (BMI) z-score in children and adolescents.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the
• Sacbe
• program in modifying adiposity indicators.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study enrolled 8-18 year olds with a BMI z-score ≥1.
• Anthropometric measures, clinical history, and eating habits were recorded.
• Clinically relevant BMI z-score reduction was defined as ≥0.5 over 12 months.

Main Results:

• 82.7% of participants achieved a reduced BMI z-score, with 41.8% reaching clinically relevant reduction.
• Eating out less than once per week was significantly associated with clinically relevant BMI z-score reduction (HR 2.12).
• This association remained significant after adjusting for multiple lifestyle factors including diet, physical activity, and sleep.

Conclusions:

• A habit of eating out less than once per week is strongly associated with reduced childhood adiposity.
• This eating pattern likely reduces exposure to processed foods and improves overall food quality.
• Limiting frequency of eating out may be a highly effective strategy for managing childhood obesity.