Child care: implications for overweight / obesity in Canadian children?

Body mass index (BMI) is generally accepted as a useful index of various clinical situations related to obesity. However, there are no reference BMI charts for Saudi children; this paper is an attempt to establish these. A total of 21,638 Saudi schoolchildren between ages six to 16 years (49.6% males) were studied. Curves for BMI, seven percentiles - 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th - were constructed. As a reference material, BMI data for American children were modified into Hegira years. It was found that, in agreement with others, the BMI for the Saudi children studied was age- and gender-dependent. Comparison between Saudi data and international reference showed the expected genetic influence. These results remain to be compared with those from other regions in the Kingdom.

Patterns of Childhood Body Mass Index Percentile Gains as Predictors of Adolescent Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and Blood Pressure.

Introduction and Objective: Research on relationships between obesity and diabetes risk for transgender youth is limited, despite indications of increased risk of transgender youth developing obesity and diabetes. Understanding this relationship is critical in developing affirming and clinically effective care. This study documented the prevalence of obesity and related health factors in adolescents at their initial gender program visit. Methods: A retrospective chart review conducted on 94 patients receiving care at a gender clinic extracted data points of body mass index (BMI) percentiles and z-scores for assigned sex at birth (ASAB) and affirmed gender, as well as psychological and medical comorbidities. Results: The average patient seen in the gender program was 14.7 years old, white (60.64%), non-Hispanic/Latino (56.57%), and transgender male (62.77%). The average ASAB BMI percentile was 69.57 (z-score = 0.84) with transgender males and females having an average BMI of 25.64 and 22.21. Of note, using affirmed gender to determine BMI percentiles and z-scores displayed changes in weight of transgender males (88.14% had increase in z-score; 74.58% had increase in BMI percentile) and transgender females (78.57% had decrease in z-score; 60.71% had decrease in BMI percentile). This population had the following incidence rates: 3.19 pre-diabetes, 31.92 obesity, 60.64 anxiety, and 17.02 asthma. Conclusion: This retrospective chart review found adolescents entering this gender program were at higher ends of normal weight. Upon comparison, transgender males were at potentially increased risk of obesity compared to transgender females prior to initiating gender affirming treatment. Given increasing rates of pediatric obesity for all adolescents, providers should remain vigilant and assess for weight-related comorbidities like diabetes. Future research could explore health behaviors contributing to overall wellbeing, to inform affirming treatment options for transgender youth. Disclosure K. Oyola-Cartagena: None. A. Sharer: None. S. Gedeon: None. C. Finck: Advisory Panel; Harvard regenerative technologies. Other Relationship; Esophadex. M. Santos: None. Funding American Diabetes Association (11-22-ICTSHD-17)

Congenital Laryngeal Anomalies

This study examined the relation among children's physical activity, sedentary behaviours, and body mass index (BMI), while controlling for sex, family structure, and socioeconomic status. Epidemiological study examining the relations among physical activity participation, sedentary behaviour (video game use and television (TV)/video watching), and BMI on a nationally representative sample of Canadian children. A representative sample of Canadian children aged 7-11 (N=7216) from the 1994 National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth was used in the analysis. Physical activity and sport participation, sedentary behaviour (video game use and TV/video watching), and BMI measured by parental report. Both organized and unorganized sport and physical activity are negatively associated with being overweight (10-24% reduced risk) or obese (23-43% reduced risk), while TV watching and video game use are risk factors for being overweight (17-44% increased risk) or obese (10-61% increased risk). Physical activity and sedentary behaviour partially account for the association of high socioeconomic status and two-parent family structure with the likelihood of being overweight or obese. This study provides evidence supporting the link between physical inactivity and obesity of Canadian children.

It's always snack time: An investigation of event scripts in young children.

PurposeTo investigate whether body mass index (BMI) percentile impacts the morphology of the capital femoral epiphysis in children and adolescents without hip disorders.MethodsWe assessed 68 subjects with healthy hips who underwent a pelvic CT for evaluation of appendicitis. There were 32 male patients (47%) and the mean age was 11.6 years (sd 2.3). The BMI (k/m2) was calculated for sex- and age-related percentiles according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts. CT images were segmented, and the epiphysis and metaphysis were reformatted using 3D software. We measured the epiphyseal tubercle (height, width and length), the metaphyseal fossa (depth, width and length) and the peripheral cupping of the epiphysis. All measurements were normalized to the diameter of the epiphysis. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to assess the correlations between the variables measured and BMI percentile adjusted for age.ResultsFollowing adjustment to age, increased BMI correlated to decreased tubercle height (r =-0.34; 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.53 to -0.11; p = 0.005), decreased tubercle length (r = -0.32; 95%CI -0.52 to -0.09; p = 0.008) and decreased tubercle width (r = -0.3; 95% CI -0.5 to -0.07; p = 0.01). There was no correlation between BMI and metaphyseal fossa and epiphyseal cupping measurements.ConclusionThe association between increased BMI percentile and decreased epiphyseal tubercle size, without changes of the metaphyseal fossa and peripheral cupping suggests another morphological change of the femur that may be associated with decreased growth plate resistance to shear stress. Further study is necessary to investigate whether the epiphyseal tubercle size plays a role in the pathogenesis of slipped capital femoral epiphysis in obese children and adolescents.Level of EvidenceLevel IV

Little is known about how discrimination contributes to health behaviors in childhood. We examined the association between children's exposure to discrimination and their snacking behavior in a sample of youth of color (N = 164, Mage = 11.5 years, 49% female, 60% Black, 40% Hispanic/Latinx). We also explored whether children's body mass index (BMI) or sleepiness moderated the association between discrimination and calorie consumption. The significant link between discrimination and calorie consumption was moderated by children's BMI, such that discrimination was associated with calorie consumption for children with BMI percentiles above 79%. Children's sleepiness did not serve as an additional moderator. Efforts to promote health should consider children's broader socio‐contextual experiences, including discrimination, as factors that may shape eating patterns.

To report a study conducted to describe the determinants of Turkish school-aged children's dietary habits and body mass index. Over the past two decades, children's unhealthy dietary habits and obesity have increased rapidly. Nurses have an essential role in minimizing health-risk behaviours and promoting healthy lifestyles. Using the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior to measure children's dietary habits and body mass index values helps to prepare health-promotion interventions. A descriptive, correlational study. The study was conducted, based on a sample of 420 fifth-grade students and their parents in one city in Turkey. The data were collected during 2007 using a questionnaire designed to assess the dietary habits and anthropometric indices. Data were analysed using quantitative analysis to identify key variables. The girls scored healthier on dietary habits than did the boys. Although dietary self-efficacy was statistically significant as an explanatory variable of dietary habits for both genders, the dietary attitude was the only explanatory variable of dietary habits for the girls. No difference was detected in the prevalence of overweight between boys and girls. Nurses are well-situated to give children dietary self-efficacy improvement, dietary attitude enhancement, and family-centred and school-based intervention programmes to reduce their unhealthy dietary habits. The model guides researchers to identify the background characteristics of children that result in the body mass index.

Objectives To assess the feasibility of integrating early psychosocial stimulation into primary care for undernourished children and to determine the effect on children's development and mothers' knowledge and practices of...

This study compared the relationships between parental physical activity levels and their child's body mass index (BMI) using a convenience sample of volunteer parents at a school-based health clinic. Anonymously, parents completed a seven-question survey utilizing the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The data analysis indicated that parental physical activity did not have a significant influence on a child's BMI. Forty-two percent of the children were overweight or at risk for overweight, demonstrating the need for increased physical activity and improved nutritional guidance. The school nurse has a significant role in providing education about health, nutrition, and obesity prevention strategies for students, staff members, and families.

Research on the effect of family structure on childhood obesity is scarce. This study examines the effect of number of parents and number of siblings on US children's body mass index (BMI) and risk of obesity. We conducted a secondary data analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), which consists of a nationally representative cohort of children who entered kindergarten in 1998-1999, to examine the effect of family structure on children's body mass index and risk of obesity from kindergarten through 8th grade. Study outcomes were BMI in kindergarten and 8th grade, obesity status in kindergarten and 8th grade, and change in BMI from kindergarten through 8th grade. Multivariate regressions were used to assess the association between family structure and study outcomes while adjusting for other covariates. In 8th grade, children with no siblings had higher BMI (23.7 vs. 22.6; P≤0.01) and higher probability of being obese (25.8 vs. 19.7%; P≤0.05) than their counterparts with two or more siblings. They also had a larger increase in BMI from kindergarten through 8th grade than children living with two or more siblings (7.3 vs. 6.3; P=0.02). Our analysis suggests that the association between family structure and obesity persists and even intensifies through 8th grade. These findings have important implications for targeting obesity support and counseling for families.

BackgroundPathways leading to socioeconomic inequalities in young children's body mass index (BMI) are not well understood. This study examined whether parenting related to the physical and social context of children's...

Background: Although positive coparenting, or how parents relate during childrearing, is known to support children's socioemotional development, the role of coparenting in supporting children's healthy eating and growth is poorly understood. This study examined associations between coparenting quality, the home food environment, and young children's body mass index (BMI). Methods: Cross-sectional data were obtained from 290 mothers and their 3-year-old children who participated in the Sprout study. Mothers who indicated they had a coparent in their household completed surveys to assess coparenting quality, food parenting practices, family mealtime routines and structure, and home food availability. Mothers also reported the foods served at two typical meals, and a healthy meal index (HMI) score was calculated to assess the nutritional quality of meals. Children's height and weight were measured and used to calculate BMI z-scores (BMIz). Results: Mothers who reported more positive coparenting also reported providing children more guidance for healthy eating (β = 0.15, p < 0.001), less use of food to control children's emotions (β = -0.15, p < 0.01), less use of food as a reward (β = -0.27, p < 0.01), more structured mealtimes (β = 0.22, p < 0.001), and more household availability of fruits and vegetables (β = 0.11, p < 0.01). Mothers who reported greater coparent agreement on childrearing also had children with lower BMIz (β = -0.11, p = 0.03). Mothers who reported greater endorsement of their partner's childrearing competency had a higher mean HMI score (β = 1.82, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Among dual-parent, highly resourced families with young children, stronger coparenting practices were associated with several food-related parenting practices that support healthy eating and weight among young children.

American Indian (AI) children have the highest rates of obesity among ethnic groups in the United States, and rates continue to increase. This study was designed to examine the effects of prenatal and early postnatal factors on AI children's body mass index (BMI) trajectories, adiposity, and cardiovascular risk markers during early childhood. We screened 471 AI children (ages 5-8) from three Wisconsin tribes. Screenings included anthropometric and body fat measures and non-fasting lipid and glucose via fingerstick blood samples. Tribal records from Women Infants and Children (WIC) programs and clinic charts provided data on children's BMI trajectories, maternal prenatal factors, and the early postnatal feeding environment. Forty-seven percent of children were overweight or obese. Analysis of growth trajectories showed that children's BMI category was largely determined within the 1 year of life. Significant predictors of children's BMI category at age 1 included macrosomia (OR 4.38), excess gestational weight gain (OR 1.64) and early termination of breastfeeding (OR 1.66). Children who were overweight/obese at age 1 had greater odds of being overweight (OR 3.42) or obese (OR 3.36), and having unhealthy levels of body fat (OR 2.95) and LDL cholesterol (OR 1.64) at ages 5-8. Children's BMI category is determined in the early post-natal environment, within the 1 year of life, by factors including excess gestational weight gain and early termination of breastfeeding. In turn, children's BMI category at age 1 predicts the emergence of cardiovascular risk markers in early childhood.