Association Between Physical Activity, Parental Influence, and Overweight During the Adiposity Rebound Period

Abstract

1691 With the alarming increase in overweight children, the relationship between physical activity and overweight during the adiposity rebound period needs to be better characterized (Fulton, 2001). PURPOSE: To examine if differences in total daily physical activity (PA) exist between normal weight and overweight children between 4 and 7 years of age and to determine mediators of familial characteristics that may predict overweight among children. METHODS: Fifty-three children (34 girls and 19 boys) were classified as normal weight or overweight. Overweight status was determined using the age- and sex-specific 85th percentile for body mass index (BMI; kg × m−2). Body fat (BF%) was measured using duel energy X-ray absorptiometry and PA was monitored for 4 consecutive days using MTI Actigraph activity monitor. PA was expressed as total daily PA (counts/day) and time spent in moderate and vigorous PA. Child gestational age, sedentary behaviors, parental BMI and parental frequency of activity with child were measured via questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight children in this sample was 34%. For both girls and boys, overweight children weighed 23% more than their normal weight peers (p<0.05) and had 35% more BF% (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in total daily PA, time in moderate PA, or vigorous PA between normal and overweight children. However, overweight children spent 28% more time in sedentary activities including TV viewing and computer usage than normal weight children (3.3 ± 1.4 vs 2.4 ± 1.4 hours/day, respectively, p<0.05). Partial correlations, controlling for age, indicated that the mother's frequency of PA with her child (R2 = 0.47) and father's BMI (R2 = 0.26) explained 73% of the variance in body weight of overweight girls (p<0.05). In overweight boys, gestational age explained 83% of the variance in body weight (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of overweight among this age group warrants serious concern for health issues. It appears that normal and overweight children in this age group are obtaining similar amounts of PA. Whether or not this amount of PA is sufficient to attenuate excessive weight gain is unknown and requires further study. Interventions geared at decreasing time spent in sedentary activity and increasing parental level of physical activity with the child may be beneficial, especially with young girls. This work was supported by The University of Nebraska- Kearney Research Services Council and a York University Faculty of Arts Research Grant