Abstract
To compare the prevalence of overweight or obesity (ow/ob) with WHO BMI cut-off points, International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-off points and Chinese BMI criteria and examine its potential factors among preschool children in Hunan Province. A cross-sectional survey including anthropometric measurements and questionnaires about children's information, caregivers' socio-demographic characteristics and maternal characteristics. χ2 tests and univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression were performed to evaluate the possible factors of ow/ob. Hunan, China, from September to October 2019. In total, 7664 children 2 to 6 years of age. According to Chinese BMI criteria, about 1 in 7-8 children aged 2-6 years had ow/ob in Hunan, China. The overall estimated prevalence of ow/ob among 2- to 6-year-old children was significantly higher when based on the Chinese BMI criteria compared with the WHO BMI cut-off points and IOTF cut-off points. According to Chinese BMI criteria, ow/ob was associated with residing in urban areas, older age, male sex, eating snacking food more frequently, macrosomia delivery, caesarean birth, heavier maternal prepregnancy weight and pre-delivery weight. The prevalence of ow/ob in preschool children in Hunan Province remains high. More ow/ob children could be screened out according to Chinese BMI cut-offs compared with WHO and IOTF BMI criteria. In the future, targeted intervention studies with matched controls will be needed to assess the long-term effects of intervention measures to provide more information for childhood obesity prevention and treatment.
Highlights
The estimated prevalence of overweight and obesity was significantly higher when based on the Chinese criteria compared with the WHO and International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-off points (Fig. 1)
Among the three categories of diagnostic standards, the estimated prevalence of ow/ob children under 60 months old was the lowest based on WHO criteria, and the estimated prevalence of ow/ob children aged 60–83 months was the lowest based on IOTF criteria
Two international criteria are used to define ow/ob for preschool children based on BMI: The IOTF reference is based on children under 25 years old from six national cross-sectional studies to define childhood overweight and obesity[5] while the WHO published a growth standard for children aged 0–5(6) and 5–19 years[7], which is based on samples of children who represent optimal growth
Summary
The aim of the current study was to analyse the occurrence and potential factors of obesity with different criteria in Hunan Province in preschool-age children. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic analysis for potential ow/ob factors among children aged 2–6 years in Hunan, China Model covariates were age group (24–35 months, 36–47 months, 48–59 months, 60–71 months, 72–83 months); sex (girls, boys); children’s birth weight (2500–3999 g, < 2500 g, ≥ 4000 g); mode of delivery (vaginal, caesarean); children’s screen time (< 1 h/d, ≥ 1 h/d), time spent outdoors (< 1 h/d, ≥ 1 h/d), children’s snacking food pattern (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4); residence (rural, urban); father’s age (< 30 years, 30–35 years, ≥ 35 years); mother’s age (< 30 years, 30–35 years, ≥ 35 years); gestational diabetes mellitus (no, yes); prepregnancy weight (< 50 kg, 50–55 kg, ≥ 55 kg) and pre-delivery weight (< 65 kg, 65–70 kg, ≥ 70 kg).
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