Abstract
BackgroundTo examine predictors of increasing overweight among children in two developing countries.MethodsPrimary school children (6–10 y at baseline, n = 336) and their caregivers.Longitudinal data were collected in 2012, with follow-up 18 months later. Data on children’s height, weight and dietary intake were collected within 8 primary public schools in Trinidad and 7 schools in St. Kitts. Caregivers’ demographic and anthropometric data were also collected.ResultsAt baseline, children’s age and sex and caregivers’ BMI, age, and marital status and reported dietary intake were similar across all weight groups. The incidence of overweight and obesity among children was 8.8% and 8.1%, respectively. Dietary intake at baseline was not related to becoming overweight or obese. Similarly there were no differences in reported intake among children who became overweight or obese except that they consumed fewer fruits (0.54±0.92 vs. 0.98±1.66, p = 0.017). Misreporting of energy intake was higher among overweight/obese children as compared to those who were not overweight/obese (27% vs. 17%, p = 0.047). The baseline predictors of increasing BMI (adjusted) of the children were older age, higher baseline BMI z-score and higher height-for-age (HFA) z-score; caregiver BMI, children’s energy intake (with adjustment for misreporting) did not predict changes in children’s BMI.ConclusionsThe increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity among children is a serious problem in the Caribbean. Heavier children are at elevated risk of continued rapid increase in their weight status, pointing to the need for early intervention.
Highlights
To examine predictors of increasing overweight among children in two developing countries
A total of 336 children and their caregivers were included in this study
Caregivers were similar in age, sex and marital status across all children’s weight categories at baseline
Summary
To examine predictors of increasing overweight among children in two developing countries. The prevalence of obesity has increased over the last few decades and has become a worldwide public health problem [1]. It is becoming more prevalent among all age groups including children in developing countries [2]. Predictors of overweight and obesity among children in the developed world are well investigated, but this is not the case in developing countries. The “nutrition transition”, defined as the shift to more “Westernized” dietary practices and increasingly sedentary lifestyles, has been linked to the increased prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in developing countries [18, 19].
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