Dietary Intake, Physical Activity and the Development of Obesity in Three to Seven Year Old Children

Abstract

LEARNING OUTCOME: To identify diet and physical activity factors associated with the development of obesity in three to seven year old children. The relationship of carbohydrate, protein, fat and caloric intake and physical activity to the development of obesity in three to seven year old children was examined in a four year longitudinal study. Four annual measures of the sum of seven skinfolds (SSS) were obtained from 125 children. Observations of diet and physical activity were conducted on one to four days between each measurement. Children in the “adiposity take-off” group (n = 15) were defined as those whose SSS was equal to or greater than one and a half standard deviations above the mean of the previous annual SSS. Cases were matched on age, gender, and ethnicity with “non-take-off” children (n = 33). Analysis of variance was used to compare diet and physical activity measures between groups during the “take-off” year. The results indicate that the children in the “adiposity take-off” group had significantly higher carbohydrate (p < .055), fat (p < .02) and caloric (p < .05) intakes during the “adiposity take-off” year. Height, protein intake, and indicators of physical activity were not significantly different between groups. Further analyses revealed that carbohydrate (p<.02), fat (p<.02), and caloric (P<.014) intakes in the year prior to the “adiposity take off” year were also significantly higher than the “non-take-off” group. These findings suggest that excessive consumption of dietary fat, carbohydrates, and total calories lead to obesity in early childhood, and these patterns exist well in advance of the emanation in excess adiposity. It appears that obesity prevention should target young children's consumption of dietary fat and carbohydrate. Further investigation into the types of foods accounting for these differences is warranted, so that appropriate interventions may be planned.