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A longitudinal analysis of accelerated weight gain in preschool children
R C Klesges1, L M Klesges, L H Eck
1Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
Insights
Encouraging healthy eating and physical activity can reduce childhood obesity. Modifiable factors like diet and exercise are more influential than genetics in managing children
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern.
- Understanding predictors of weight change is crucial for intervention.
- Family history and lifestyle factors play a role in pediatric weight management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify dietary, physical activity, family history, and demographic predictors of relative weight change in children.
- To analyze these predictors over a 3-year period in a pediatric cohort.
- To differentiate the impact of modifiable versus non-modifiable factors on body mass index (BMI) changes.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 146 children over 3 years.
- Assessment of dietary intake (kilocalories, fat intake).
- Measurement of physical activity levels (aerobic and leisure).
- Collection of family history (parental weight status) and demographic data.
- Analysis of body mass index (BMI) changes in relation to identified predictors.
Main Results:
- Parental weight status influenced children's BMI changes: boys with two overweight parents showed increases, while those with one or no overweight parents showed decreases.
- Girls with an overweight father experienced BMI increases.
- Lower baseline fat intake and increased physical activity (aerobic and leisure) were associated with decreased BMI.
- Modifiable factors (diet, physical activity) explained more variance in BMI change than non-modifiable factors (parental obesity).
Conclusions:
- Heart-healthy dietary patterns and increased physical activity are effective in mitigating accelerated weight gain and obesity in children.
- Interventions targeting diet and physical activity are vital for preventing childhood obesity, even in preschool-aged children.
- Lifestyle modifications offer a promising strategy for managing pediatric weight.
Abstract:
The purpose of the current investigation was to determine the dietary, physical activity, family history, and demographic predictors of relative weight change in a cohort of 146 children over a 3-year period. Results indicated that boys of normal-weight parents or who had only one parent overweight showed decreases in their body mass index (BMI) while those with two parents overweight showed increases. Girls with an overweight father showed BMI increases while others experienced decreases in BMI. Additionally, baseline intake of kilocalories from fat as well as decreases in fat intake were related to decreases in BMI. At higher levels of baseline aerobic activity, subsequent changes in BMI decreased. There was also a trend for changes in leisure activity--increases in children's leisure activity was associated with decreases in subsequent weight gain. Modifiable variables (ie, dietary intake, physical activity) accounted for more of the variance in changes in child BMI change than nonmodifiable variables (eg, number of parents obese). These results strongly suggest that encouragement of heart healthy dietary intake patterns and participation in physical activity can decrease accelerated weight gain and obesity, even in preschool children.