Abstract
Introduction Obesity is a major threat to public health. Eating behavior and dietary intake of especially high energy-dense food with low nutrients contribute to the current epidemic of childhood obesity. However, the relationship between eating behavior and body composition has yet to be examined in Thai children and adolescents with obesity. We assessed the association between children's eating behaviors and their body composition in prerandomized patients who participated in the randomized trial titled “Impact of Dietary Fiber as Prebiotics on Intestinal Microbiota in Obese Thai Children”. Methods During the prerandomization process, a cross-sectional study was conducted. We recruited children and adolescents aged 7 to 15 years from Bangkok, Thailand. Eating behaviors were assessed by the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), which is a parent or self-reported research instrument conducted by face-to-face interviews. Body mass index (BMI), BMI-for-age Z-score, waist and hip circumferences, and body compositions were assessed. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to assess associations between the study variables. Results Ninety-seven Thai children and adolescents with obesity participated in the study; 59 (61%) were male. Median [IQR] of age and BMI z-score were 10.5 [9.0, 12.2] years and 3.0 [2.6, 3.7], respectively. Subscale for Enjoyment of Food had the highest score. There were no associations between eating behaviors and BMI z-score. However, Emotional Overeating was associated with fat-free mass index (correlation coefficient = 0.24, p=0.02) and girls with obesity had lower scores in “Slowness in Eating” compared to boys [mean 2.1 versus 1.8, 95% CI: (−0.06, −0.01), p=0.04]. Conclusion Among Thai children and adolescents with obesity, the difference in multidimensional eating behavior might be affected by fat-free mass. Additional study with a larger sample size needed to explore underlying mechanisms and findings can be used to develop future behavior modification program.
Highlights
Obesity is a major threat to public health
Anthropometry, body composition, and dietary assessment are shown in Table 1. e mean values for 4 out of 8 factors were above the scale midpoint (2.5)
The mean scores for each individual’s “food approach” scales were generally higher than the “food avoidant” scales except for food fussiness and emotional undereating which had a mean score that was higher than emotional overeating
Summary
Obesity is a major threat to public health. Eating behavior and dietary intake of especially high energy-dense food with low nutrients contribute to the current epidemic of childhood obesity. The relationship between eating behavior and body composition has yet to be examined in ai children and adolescents with obesity. Emotional Overeating was associated with fat-free mass index (correlation coefficient 0.24, p 0.02) and girls with obesity had lower scores in “Slowness in Eating” compared to boys [mean 2.1 versus 1.8, 95% CI: (−0.06, −0.01), p 0.04]. Among ai children and adolescents with obesity, the difference in multidimensional eating behavior might be affected by fat-free mass. It is accepted that the family (i.e., parents, siblings, other relatives, and even children of the same age) play a major role in food preference, eating behavior, and childhood obesity [7]. Fogel et al [11] reported that children who ate faster had higher food intake, resulting in higher body mass index (BMI) z-score and adiposity
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