Body Mass Index Percentile Scores Research Articles

Youth Homelessness: Prevalence and Associations with Weight in Three Regions.

This study investigated the utility of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to document associations between homeless status and weight while estimating the prevalence of youth homelessness in three regions. A school-based survey, the YRBS includes youths who have been difficult to involve in past research. Analysis of 2011 YRBS data produced population-weighted estimates of youth homelessness prevalence separately for Connecticut, Delaware, and Philadelphia. Public high school students anonymously reported their housing status, height, and weight on the YRBS. Height and weight were converted to body mass index (BMI) percentile-for-age scores. Homelessness was associated with higher BMI percentile scores for youths compared with nonhomeless peers. Associations between BMI percentile and different forms of homelessness (homeless with family, unaccompanied homeless without family) were explored at each site. Estimates of one-month homelessness prevalence ranged from 3.9 percent to 5.9 percent at each site. Homelessness, especially family homelessness, is associated with risk for higher BMI. The YRBS is an informative tool for estimating the prevalence of youth homelessness, expanding on what is known through other, more commonly used methods.

ADHD symptoms, breast-feeding and obesity in children and adolescents.

Attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been found to be related to overweight/obesity in children and adolescents, but it is a heterogeneous disorder, and the relationships between the dimensions of ADHD and overweight/obesity are not clear. The aim of this study was to explore which dimensions of the disorder are specifically associated with overweight/obesity. The study sample consisted of 300 treatment-naive children with ADHD and 75 healthy controls aged 7-17 years. The ADHD module of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version was used to diagnose ADHD. The severity of ADHD symptoms was assessed via Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS). The weight, height, and breast-feeding duration of the study samples and controls were recorded. Body mass index (BMI) was categorized according to the national age/sex-specific reference values. The rate of overweight/obese children was higher in the ADHD group. The association between ADHD symptoms and BMI percentile scores was evaluated using structural equation modeling. In that model, it was observed that the Cognitive Problems/Inattentive and Oppositional subscores of the CPRS had a positive predictive effect on the BMI percentile scores, but breast-feeding duration had a negative predictive effect on the BMI percentile scores. Inattention, oppositionality and breast-feeding duration were associated with overweight/obesity in children and adolescents with ADHD. Longitudinal studies are needed to more fully understand this relationship and the mechanisms underlying the association between ADHD and overweight/obesity.

The Relationship Between ADHD Symptoms, Breastfeeding and Overweight/obesity in Children and Adolescents

Introduction Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been found to be related to overweight/obesity in children and adolescents. Objectives However, it is a heterogeneous disorder, and the relationships between the dimensions of ADHD and overweight/obesity are not clear. Aim The aim of this study was to explore which dimensions of the disorder are specifically associated with overweight/obesity. Methods The study sample consisted of 300 treatment naive children with ADHD and 75 healthy controls aged 7–17 years. The ADHD module of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Versionwasused to diagnose ADHD. The severity of ADHD symptoms was assessed via Conners’ Parent Rating Scale (CPRS). The weight, height, and breast-feeding duration of the study samples and controls were recorded. The body mass index (BMI) of the participants was categorized according to the national age and sex speci?c reference values. Results The rate of overweight/obese children was higher in the ADHD group. The association between ADHD symptoms and BMI percentile scores was evaluated using structural equation modeling. In that model, it was observed that the inattention and oppositionality subscores of the CPRS had a positive predictive effect on the BMI percentile scores of the children. However, the duration of breastfeeding showed a negative predictive effect on the BMI percentile scores. Conclusion These results showed the importance of inattention, oppositionality and breastfeeding durationon overweight/obesity in children and adolescents with ADHD. Longitudinal studies are needed to more fully understand this relationship and the mechanisms underlying the association between ADHD and overweight/obesity.

Relationship between physique and food avoidance in infants: a study conducted in a community setting in Japan.

The relationship between food avoidance during infancy and the growth of Japanese infants in a community health setting has not been well evaluated. In order to assess the growth of infants who avoided either of the three major allergen foods in Japan, eggs, milk or wheat, we employed the results of 4 physical checkups recorded in maternity passbooks and administrated a questionnaire on allergic diseases, height and weight at birth to the guardians of 1,132 infants at the age of 3.5 years. Data was obtained from 890 subjects (78.6%) and 662 subjects (58.5%) who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. The height, weight and body mass index percentile scores of each subject were calculated. Subjects who avoided either of the three foods at 3.5 years had lower weight percentile scores at 1.5 years, lower height and weight percentile scores at 3.5 years, and lower weight growth rates, compared with the subjects who did not avoid any of the three foods at 3.5 years (P=0.02, 0.03, 0.03, 0.01). The results suggested that there was a negative relationship between physique and food avoidance in infants, and that physical and nutritional assessments are important for food avoiders.

Underweight and Obesity in Low Birth Weight Children in Early Infancy in Japan

Introduction: Although there are several reports on the prevalence of underweight or obesity in low birth weight (LBW, <2.5 kg) children, there are few longitudinal studies from birth to early infancy. Methods: We enrolled 177 (93 boys) LBW and 2485 (1267 boys) normal birth weight (NBW, ≥2.5 and <4.0 kg) children. Height and weight data at birth and at 1.5, 3.5, and 5 years were obtained from mother-health child records. Underweight and obesity were defined as <5th percentile and ≥90th percentile of the body mass index (BMI), respectively, based on reference values for Japanese children. Results: LBW children had accelerated growth from birth to age 3.5 years, but at Age 5, both sexes had significantly lesser height and weight z-scores, with notably lesser BMI percentile scores for girls, compared with NBW children. The prevalence of underweight was significantly higher in the LBW children throughout the study period. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of obesity between the two groups, except for at birth. Multiple regression analysis revealed that small-for-gestational age was associated with underweight at Age 5 years. Conclusions: This study indicates that, up to Age 5, underweight is a more serious problem than obesity in LBW children. Our results suggest that careful observation of growth from early infancy is necessary to prevent the occurrence of underweight in early infancy.

Associations Between Maternal Feeding Style and Child Overweight

Previous research has identified numerous risk factors that are associated with the development of childhood obesity. In recent years, the possible role of parenting has also been explored, with the assumption made that parental control in the context of feeding may exert an influence on child eating and child weight. The aim of the present study was to explore whether parent feeding styles were associated with young children’s body mass index (BMI) and specifically if the authoritative style was predictive of a lower weight status. For this, 80 mother-child dyads were visited when children were 3 and 4 years old. Maternal feeding style was reported by the mothers at the 3-year visit, and children’s anthropometric measurements were made at 3 and 4 years. Although not different across groups at 3 years, children whose mothers reported an authoritative feeding style had the lowest mean BMI percentile scores at ages 3 and 4 years. Although the subgroup of children of authoritarian mothers showed a significant increase in their BMI percentile scores from 3 to 4 years, the children of indulgent mothers had the highest BMI percentile scores at 4 years. The results of this study suggest that an indulgent maternal feeding style may be a risk factor for children’s unrestricted eating and becoming overweight.

Presentation of body mass index within an electronic health record to improve weight assessment and counselling in children and adolescents

Assessment of weight and counselling on nutrition and physical activity is infrequently conducted during well child visits, despite recent expert recommendations. We investigated whether automatic calculation of body mass index (BMI) in an electronic health record improved assessment of weight and counselling on nutrition and physical activity. Retrospective review of well child visit records of children between two and 18 years of age (n =550) before and after implementation of an electronic health record system at an academic medical centre's paediatric clinic. Body mass index was automatically calculated and presented within the electronic health record. We measured clinicians' documentation of assessment of weight status, and assessment of and counselling for nutrition and physical activity risk factors. Documentation of assessment of BMI and weight status did not increase. There were no consistent increases in assessment for or counselling on specific nutrition and physical activity behaviours, except with respect to high calorie food intake. Although overall assessment of physical activity decreased, physical activity counselling significantly increased. Documentation of the presence of high-risk family history increased significantly; the provision of counselling for high-risk family history did not show any corresponding increase. Patients with higher BMI percentile scores were more completely assessed for weight status. Completeness of weight status assessment was associated with increased counselling for nutrition and physical activity. Passive changes, such as automatic calculation of BMI, are insufficient to result in systematic improvements in assessment of weight and counselling for nutrition and physical activity.

Increased obesity in children living in rural communities of Louisiana

Rates of obesity among children have been rising in recent years. Information on the prevalence of obesity in children living in rural communities is needed. We report the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children enrolled in grades 4 to 6 who live in rural areas of Louisiana, USA. These data were collected as baseline assessment for the Louisiana (LA) Health project. Height, weight, and estimates of body fat (using body impedance analysis) were collected on 2 709 children. Average age was 10.5 years and the sample composition was 57.3% girls, 61.7% African-American, 36.0% Caucasian, and 2.3% other minority. A majority of children (77%) met the criterion for poverty status. The distribution of body mass index (BMI) percentile was highly skewed toward obesity. The most frequent BMI percentile scores were 98(th) and 99(th) percentile. Using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) norms, the overall prevalence of obesity was 27.4%, and for overweight was 45.1%, of which 17.7% were between the 85(th) and 95(th) percentile. The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity were much higher than the national norm and this increased prevalence was observed in both genders and in Caucasian and African-American children. The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity was found to be much higher in rural and primarily poor (77%) children living in Louisiana when compared with national norms. This observation suggests that rural children from Louisiana may be experiencing an epidemic of obesity that exceeds national prevalence estimates.

‘Finish your soup’: Counterproductive effects of pressuring children to eat on intake and affect

The authors examined whether pressuring preschoolers to eat would affect food intake and preferences, using a repeated-measures experimental design. In the experimental condition, children were pressured to eat by a request to finish their food. We collected intake data, heights and weights, child-feeding practices data, and children's comments about the food. Children consumed significantly more food when they were not pressured to eat and they made overwhelmingly fewer negative comments. Children who were pressured to eat at home had lower body mass index percentile scores and were less affected by the pressure in the lab setting than children who were not pressured at home. These data provide experimental evidence supporting previous correlational research indicating that pressure can have negative effects on children's affective responses to and intake of healthy foods.