Normal-weight Schoolchildren Research Articles

Relationship of Serum Zinc Levels with Cardiometabolic Traits in Overweight and Obese Schoolchildren from Mexico City.

Zinc (Zn) participates as a cofactor for many enzymes in the cellular metabolism, and its serum levels have been associated with different metabolic diseases, especially obesity (OB). Nevertheless, its associations are not clear in the children population. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between serum Zn levels (SZn) with overweight/obesity status (OW/OB), as well as its cardiometabolic traits in a population of children in Mexico City. Anthropometrical data (body mass index z score (BMIz)), demographic variables (age and sex), and cardiometabolic traits (total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), triglycerides (TG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and insulin) were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. SZn were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The population included 210 children from Mexico City (girls (n = 105) and boys (n = 105)) between ages 6 and 10years. Normal-weight (NW) schoolchildren had higher SZn concentrations (66µg/dL; IQR: 48 to 91) compared to OW or OB schoolchildren (61µg/dL; IQR: 45 to 76). The data showed a significant negative association between SZn and BMIz without sex exclusion (r = - 0.181 and p = 0.009). The boy's population did not show an association between the SZn and BMIz compared to the girl's population which showed a significant negative association (r = - 0.277 and p = 0.004). In addition, other associations were found between SZn and TC (boys (r = 0.214 and p = 0.025), LDLc (boys (r = 0.213 and p = 0.029), and TG (girls (r = - 0.260 and p = 0.007)). Moreover, 38.6% of the total children in our population study had Zn deficiency (ZnD). NW schoolchildren had higher SZn concentrations compared to OW or OB schoolchildren. A diet low in Zn can be a factor to evaluate in the development of childhood OB in Mexico. However, further studies need to be performed on the children Mexican population to replicate and confirm our findings.

Overweight in Relation to Dental Caries in Primary and Permanent Teeth among Children Aged 7-9 years in Wassit Governorate- Iraq

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between overweight and dental caries in primary and permanent teeth among Iraqi children aged 7-9 years of both genders in Wassit Governorate . The sample was collected during a period started from 1/ September to 1/November 2010. The weight and height of children were measured using Electronic Body Scale and BMI was calculated to each child in this study. In the present study, it was found that percent of overweight and obesity was 6% and it increased with age. Results showed the mean of DMFT for overweight children was (1.4±1.38) while for normal weight children was (1.29±1.42) and the mean of dmft for overweight children was (4.52 ± 2.51) compared to (4.27 ± 2.56) for normal weight school children. In addition, it was found that prevalence of dental caries in overweight children was 100% and 60% for primary and permanent dentitions, respectively and the prevalence in normal weight was 92.8% and 53.6% for primary and permanent dentitions, respectively. Statistical analysis showed no significant association between overweight and dental caries in primary and permanent teeth. It was concluded that overweight school children had higher mean dental caries scores( DMFT and dmft) and higher prevalence of dental caries in primary and permanent teeth than normal weight school children but there was no significant association between overweight and dental caries prevalence and severity.

Body Image Dissatisfaction, Depression, and Health-Related Quality of Life Amongst Indian Obese School Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Obesity is a growing health problem across the globe. Obesity and psychological well-being have been explored in the Indian adolescent and adult population. However, their association has not been explored in Indian obese school children. Aims: The primary objective of this study is, therefore, to analyze body image dissatisfaction (BID), depression, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in obese and normal-weight children and to compare these factors between the 2 groups. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 100 obese and 100 normal-weight children from Mumbai, between 10 and 12 years of age were recruited by simple random technique. The BID was assessed using Stunkard’s Silhouette Figure Rating Scale. Depressive symptoms were evaluated with the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire: Short Version and HRQOL was examined using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. The statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS statistical software version 24 (SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL USA). Results: The mean body mass index of the normal-weight children was 15.76 ± 1.4 kg/m 2 and 26.62 ± 3.1 kg/m 2 for obese. All obese children demonstrated BID, 54% were depressed and only 33% demonstrated a very good HRQOL. Intergroup analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in the obese group for BID, depression, and HRQOL, where P < .05. Conclusion: Obese school children are more prone to BID, higher depressive symptoms, and poor HRQOL than normal-weight school children. Thus, it demands a multimodal approach in preventing chronic psychological related problems in obese children.

Prevalence of Lower Extremities’ Postural Deformities in Overweight and Normal Weight School Children

Background: The increasing trend of both obesity and postural disorders in pediatric population. Objectives: We aimed to determine the prevalence of lower extremities' postural disorders among school children in Qom province, Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a representative sample of schoolchildren aged 6 - 7 years was selected by multi-stage clustering method from all urban and rural regions of Qom province. Presence of postural deformities of lower limbs, including genu valgum, genu varum and flat foot were evaluated and recorded. Prevalences of deformities in different categories of weight status (underweight, normal and overweight) were compared. Results: Out of 20000 school children 1450 students were randomly selected. Genu valgum, genu varum and flat foot was present in 256 (17.7%), 351 (24.2%) and 194 (13.38%) of studied population. 1021 (70.41%), 161 (11.1%) and 268 (18.48%) students were normal weight, underweight and overweight/obese, respectively. Prevalence of flat foot and genu valgum was significantly higher in obese/overweight students (P < 0.01). Mean of skin fold thickness was significantly higher in students with genu valgum (P < 0.001). A significant relation existed only between occurrence of lower limb postural deformities and body mass index [OR = 1.89, CI (95%) = 1.18 - 3.03]. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that prevalence of genu valgum and flat foot are higher in overweight/obese children. In addition to early diagnosis and timely treatment of the deformities, developing and validation of a multidisciplinary care for obese and overweight children to reduce the occurrence of obesity related musculoskeletal complications is of importance.

Obesity prevention interventions in Saudi Arabian childrenbuilding the evidence base: An in-depth analysis of sociodemographic characteristics and dietary habits of obese and normal weight schoolchildren

Abstract Background: A better understanding of the relationships between obesity, socio-demographic variables and eating practices is necessary for effective obesity prevention. Our study aimed to provide an in-depth

Physical Activity, Sleep, and BMI Percentile in Rural and Urban Ugandan Youth

BackgroundUganda is experiencing a dual burden of over- and undernutrition, with overweight prevalence increasing while underweight remains common. Potential weight-related factors, particularly physical activity, sleep, and rural/urban status, are not currently well understood or commonly assessed in Ugandan youth. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to pilot test a survey measuring weight-related factors in rural and urban Ugandan schoolchildren. MethodsA cross-sectional survey measured sociodemographics, physical activity, sleep patterns, and dietary factors in 148 rural and urban schoolchildren aged 11-16 in central Uganda. Height and weight were objectively measured. Rural and urban youth were compared on these factors using χ2 and t tests. Regression was used to identify correlates of higher body mass index (BMI) percentile in the full sample and nonstunted youth. FindingsYouth were on average 12.1 ± 1.1 years old; underweight (10%) was more common than overweight (1.4%). Self-reported sleep duration and subjective sleep quality did not differ by rural/urban residence. Rural children overall had higher BMI percentile and marginally higher stunting prevalence. In adjusted analyses in both the full and nonstunted samples, higher BMI percentile was related to living in a rural area, higher frequency of physical activity, and higher subjective sleep quality; it was negatively related to being active on weekends. In the full sample, higher BMI percentile was also related to female gender, whereas in nonstunted youth, higher BMI was related to age. BMI percentile was unrelated to sedentary time, performance of active chores and sports, and dietary factors. ConclusionsThis study is one of the first to pilot test a survey assessing weight-related factors, particularly physical activity and sleep, in Ugandan schoolchildren. BMI percentile was related to several sociodemographic, sleep, and physical activity factors among primarily normal-weight school children in Uganda, providing a basis for understanding weight status in the context of the nutrition transition.

Effect of body mass index on pulmonary function in children

The relationship between obesity or overweight and pulmonary functions has not been investigated in Sri Lankan children previously. Therefore, we aimed to study the effects of obesity/overweight on dynamic lung functions in healthy school children in Sri Lanka. Of 275 children 55 (20%) were ‘obese/ overweight’. BMI has no significant relationship to any of the pulmonary function parameters. However, in contrast to what is expected, mean values of FVC, FEV1 and FEF 25-75% were lower in ‘normal weight’ group (Table 2). No significant difference was detected in spirometry parameters between obese/overweight and normal weight school children in our study.

Prevalence of obesity and cardiovascular risk among children and adolescents in the municipality of Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul.

Studies have demonstrated that metabolic complications from child obesity, although silent, increase the risk of development of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. The present paper sought to describe the prevalence of overweight/obesity and analyze the possible relationship between obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors among children and adolescents. Cross-sectional study, conducted in a university. The study included 564 children and adolescents, aged 8 to 17 years. Body mass index and waist circumference were used to evaluate obesity. Other cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated, like systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glycemia, triglycerides and total cholesterol. Descriptive analysis was used for sample characterization, the chi-square test for categorical variables and Pearson's linear correlation for evaluating the relationship between obesity indicators and other cardiovascular risk factors. High prevalence of overweight/obesity was found among the schoolchildren (25.3% among the boys and 25.6% among the girls), along with abdominal obesity (19.0%). The overweight/obese schoolchildren presented higher percentages for the pressure and biochemical indicators, compared with underweight and normal-weight schoolchildren. Body mass index and waist circumference showed a weak correlation with the variables of age and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), but there was no correlation between these obesity indices and biochemical variables. The high prevalence of overweight/obesity and its relationship with other cardiovascular risk factors demonstrate that it is necessary to develop intervention and prevention strategies from childhood onwards, in order to avoid development of chronic-degenerative diseases in adulthood.

Introduction: Second Forum on Childhood Obesity Interventions

The accelerated increase in the incidence of people being overweight or obese in all population groups in many countries, especially Mexico, over the last 20 years has prompted health authorities to consider strictest measures to control this public health issue, particularly in children. The commitment to take action against obesity should be shared by individuals, government, the food industry, nongovernmental organizations, and academic personnel through policies and actions to promote a healthier life style. The Fundacion Mexicana para la Salud, a nonprofit organization with the mission of improving health in Mexico, organized this Second Forum on Childhood Obesity Interventions, and invited several experts to propose solutions for consideration by authorities and others in positions to obtain tangible results. The First Forum on Childhood Obesity Interventions was held in Mexico City in November 2009, and the proceedings were published in this journal (1). This second forum was an event aimed at health professionals involved in obesity research and practice and interested in learning more about interventions in other countries. It was especially directed at government decision-makers, the food industry, nongovernmental organizations, and academic personnel. The forum was intended to offer scientists from different countries an opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences about the factors associated with childhood overweight and obesity in their own countries, as well as different solutions that have been applied and the levels of government and public participation in those countries. Countries such as France and Brazil provide a clear example of how to initiate programs to decrease obesity that are based on a shared responsibility among individuals, institutions, and society. This time, besides Mexican researchers, experts from Scotland, France, Spain, the United States, Brazil, and Chile were invited. These individuals devote their professional efforts to understanding and proposing solutions to reduce the number of overweight and obese children, including developing policies for schools and communities to implement. Dr. John Reilly (2) presented a systematic review of the programs and evidence in the United Kingdom in “Evidence-Based Obesity Prevention in Childhood and Adolescence: Critique of Recent Etiological Studies, Preventive Interventions, and Policies.” He mentioned that the recent “stabilization” in overweight and obesity prevalence figures should not be regarded as supporting the belief that the obesity issue has been overcome, despite the fact that a better understanding of recent world trends could be useful as a prevention strategy in the near future. He also discussed the importance of making policies informed by evidence based on etiology and prevention. Dr. Michel Chauliac (3) presented “Changing the Food Environment: The French Experience,” wherein he recalled the policies implemented in France to combat the obesity problem, including actions related to educating and informing the population; changing the environment; preventing, detecting, and treating those disorders related to nutritional status; establishing systems to monitor nutritional status; and developing research in the human nutrition field. Juliana Kain, MPH, (4) presented a comparison of results in “School-Based Obesity Prevention Interventions for Chilean Children during the Past Decades: Lessons Learned” obtained in 2 different environments, Casablanca and Makul, where school-based interventions took place. She discussed the limitations they encountered while conducting this study. Dr. German Vicente-Rodriguez (5) gave the lecture entitled “Impact of Social Marketing in the Prevention of Childhood Obesity,” which provided a general overview of what social marketing entails and the way it could be used to prevent childhood obesity. Dr. Jodi Stookey (6) presented the study “Orange Juice Limits Post-Prandial Fat Oxidation after Breakfast in Normal-Weight Adolescents and Adults.” The study explains the importance of consuming water during meals. The results suggest that when people consume their meals with energy-containing beverages instead of water, regardless of the excessive energy consumption, the ability to oxidize the fat consumed with their meal is lessened. Dr. Raul Bastarrachea (7) presented an overview of studies on how the understanding of the genetic basis of gene expression will bring knowledge of the processes that connect genotype to clinical and cellular traits, representing the foundation of the science of systems biology. Finally, our group presented a study describing physical activity and food intake measured by accelerometry and food consumption surveys, respectively, in obese and normal-weight school children (8). At the end of the forum, a wide overview was presented that showed the experiences in different countries along with a few explanations of why some interventions are working and others are not. In addition, novel proposals were introduced that invite us to use all this information to stop the childhood obesity problem.

Does load carriage differentially alter postural sway in overweight vs. normal-weight schoolchildren?

Among a wide range of negative consequences stemming from excess mass in children, recent studies suggest an impairment of postural control, including basic capabilities such as static and dynamic balance. Such impairment may be compounded when additional tasks are performed, such as carrying localized loads as occurs among children using a backpack. To investigate this, postural control was measured among 77 overweight and obese children (6–11 years old), and an equal number of normal-weight children matched for gender, age, and height. Testing was conducted at school, in which center of pressure (COP) time series during quiet standing were obtained in the presence and absence of each student's backpack. A traditional postural control measure derived from COP (mean velocity) did not indicate significant differences between overweight and normal-weight children, regardless of backpack presence. In contrast, a complexity index (derived from multiscale entropy) suggested the existence of different postural strategies and reduced balance capabilities among overweight children, whose consequences need to be further clarified.

Basal Energy Expenditure in Obese and Normal Weight Schoolchildren

The present study was performed using indirect calorimetry to test the hypothesis of a reduction of the basal energy expenditure in obese prepubertal children. The obese and control children studied were comparable regarding age, height and fat-free mass (FFM). Total weight and body fat percentage were significantly greater in the obese children. Plasma insulin and glucagon concentrations were significantly higher in obese than in control children. In the two groups of children the basal metabolic rates (BMRs) were comparable in both absolute values and values adjusted for FFM, age and gender utilizing the multiple regression analysis. The most important variable to predict BMR was FFM, followed by age. BMR was significantly correlated with FFM, both for obese and control children, and also when the two groups were combined. In conclusion, our data do not support the idea that a child's obesity is maintained by increased metabolic efficiency at least in basal conditions.