Relative animal versus plant foods consumption and risk of childhood obesity

Abstract

Background. During the last decade, the prevalence of childhood obesity in the U.S. has doubled.Materials and Methods. The association between dietary intake and obesity was examined using a multivariate logistic regression model on 1,764 California school children, ages 7 to 18 years, who completed a 106 item food frequency questionnaire. The relative frequency of consumption of meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs were combined and classified as animal product intake. Similarly, the relative frequencies of consuming cereal, legumes, nuts, fruits, vegetables and vegetable protein products were combined as plant foods intake. A child was classified as obese if his or her body mass index (weight/height2) was above the 75 percentile value of the age and gender‐specific population subgroup.Results. Compared to girls, boys had a 22% lower risk of obesity (OR=0.78, 95%CI: 0.62–0.99). Compared to the lowest animal products intake quartile (19% or less), the risk of obesity increased by 75%, 46% and 69% respectively as quartiles of animal product consumed increased. Children with a high proportion of plant foods in the diet had a 38% lower risk of obesity (OR= 0.62, 95%CI: 0.41–0.93) compared to those with low consumption.Conclusions. Among children, a high proportion of plant product consumption can prevent obesity where as a high proportion of animal products in the diet increases the risk of obesity.