Application of a composite scoring protocol to identify factors that contribute to the risk of overweight and obesity in Irish children.

Abstract

SummaryBackgroundInvestigations into the main drivers of childhood obesity are vital to implement effective interventions to halt the global rise in levels. The use of a composite score may help to identify children most at risk of overweight/obesity.ObjectivesTo investigate the cumulative impact of factors associated with overweight/obesity risk in children.MethodsData were analysed from the Irish National Children's Food Survey II which included 600 children, aged 5–12‐years. The risk factors examined included social class, parental, early life, lifestyle, and dietary components. A composite score was calculated which ranged from 0 (no risk factors for overweight/obesity) to 4 (4 risk factors for overweight/obesity).ResultsIn model 1 (%BF) the four factors associated with overweight/obesity risk were having a parent with overweight/obesity (odds ratio 3.1; 95% confidence interval 1.9–4.8), having a high birth weight of ≥4 kg (2.5; 1.6–3.9), being from a low social class (2.3; 1.4–3.8) and low physical activity (1.9; 1.2–2.8). Children who scored 3–4 points on the composite score had a 10‐fold (10.0; 4.2–23.9) increased risk of overweight/obesity compared to those with 0 points, a sevenfold (7.2; 3.9–13.5) increased risk compared to those with 1 point and a threefold (2.6; 1.4–4.8) increased risk compared to those with 2 points, with similar results observed in model 2 (BMI).ConclusionThe use of a composite score is a beneficial means of identifying children at risk of overweight/obesity and may prove useful in the development of effective interventions to tackle childhood obesity.