TY - JOUR
T1 - Why do some overweight children remain overweight, whereas others do not?
AU - Wang, Youfa
AU - Ge, Keyou
AU - Popkin, Barry M.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (R01-HD30880 and R01-HD38700) and the Fogarty International Center (TW/HD00633). The China Health Nutrition Survey (CHNS) study is a collaborative research project between the Carolina Population Center (CPC) of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine (CAPM). Parts of the project design, data collection and computerisation have been funded by the CAPM, UNC-CH and CPC and NIH. We are grateful to Drs Linda Adair, Peggy Bentley, Jianwen Cai and June Stevens for their valuable comments and suggestions.
PY - 2003/9
Y1 - 2003/9
N2 - Objective: To study the dynamics of childhood overweight and the influence of dietary intake on tracking of overweight. Design and setting: A follow-up study conducted in China. Subjects: Ninety-five overweight children, 6-13 years old, identified from 1455 children at baseline, were followed over a 2-year period. Methods: Data on anthropometry and 3-day dietary intake were collected at baseline and during follow-up. Overweight was defined using the International Obesity Task Force reference of body mass index (BMI)-for-age. Differences between groups were tested using analysis of variance and Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests. Results: Of the 95 overweight children, 36.8% remained overweight 2 years later ('tracking group'). Urban boys were three times more likely than rural boys to remain overweight (63.2% vs. 21.9%). At baseline, the tracking group had higher BMI, body weight and fat intake (% of energy), and lower carbohydrate intake (% of energy), than the non-tracking group (who shifted from overweight to not overweight); they were more likely to have a high-fat or high-meat diet, but less likely to have a diet high in carbohydrate or vegetables and fruit. During the follow-up, the tracking group increased fat intake and reduced carbohydrate intake while the non-tracking group did not; and they also grew slower in height but faster in weight. Tracking of overweight seemed to be related to tracking of high-meat (relative risk (RR) 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-5.6, P < 0.05) and high-fat (RR 1.5, 95% CI 0.9-2.5, P < 0.1) diets. Conclusion: Considerable changes in children's overweight status during childhood and adolescence were observed in China, a transitional society. Dietary patterns, particularly dietary composition, seemed to influence the tracking patterns of overweight.
AB - Objective: To study the dynamics of childhood overweight and the influence of dietary intake on tracking of overweight. Design and setting: A follow-up study conducted in China. Subjects: Ninety-five overweight children, 6-13 years old, identified from 1455 children at baseline, were followed over a 2-year period. Methods: Data on anthropometry and 3-day dietary intake were collected at baseline and during follow-up. Overweight was defined using the International Obesity Task Force reference of body mass index (BMI)-for-age. Differences between groups were tested using analysis of variance and Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests. Results: Of the 95 overweight children, 36.8% remained overweight 2 years later ('tracking group'). Urban boys were three times more likely than rural boys to remain overweight (63.2% vs. 21.9%). At baseline, the tracking group had higher BMI, body weight and fat intake (% of energy), and lower carbohydrate intake (% of energy), than the non-tracking group (who shifted from overweight to not overweight); they were more likely to have a high-fat or high-meat diet, but less likely to have a diet high in carbohydrate or vegetables and fruit. During the follow-up, the tracking group increased fat intake and reduced carbohydrate intake while the non-tracking group did not; and they also grew slower in height but faster in weight. Tracking of overweight seemed to be related to tracking of high-meat (relative risk (RR) 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-5.6, P < 0.05) and high-fat (RR 1.5, 95% CI 0.9-2.5, P < 0.1) diets. Conclusion: Considerable changes in children's overweight status during childhood and adolescence were observed in China, a transitional society. Dietary patterns, particularly dietary composition, seemed to influence the tracking patterns of overweight.
KW - Child
KW - Diet
KW - Obesity
KW - Overweight
KW - Tracking
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U2 - 10.1079/PHN2003470
DO - 10.1079/PHN2003470
M3 - Article
C2 - 14690036
AN - SCOPUS:0141682821
SN - 1368-9800
VL - 6
SP - 549
EP - 558
JO - Public health nutrition
JF - Public health nutrition
IS - 6
ER -