Differential Impact of Parental BMI and Diet on Overweight and Obesity in Young School Children in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Aims: To analyze simultaneous impact of biological, socioeconomic and behavioral determinants of excess weight in schoolchildren. Study Design: Cross-sectional study based on a representative sample of schoolchildren from 2nd to 5th grades of elementary school. Place and Duration of Study: City of Florianopolis, Brazil, 2007. Methodology: A representative sample of 1232 schoolchildren aged 7-10 years had their weight and height measured. Their diet and physical activity, as well as parental height, weight and income were all self-reported. Multinomial regression analysis was used to allow for differential impact of child diet on overweight without obesity versus obesity. Results: Different food groups were associated with overweight without obesity compared to obesity and some of these were gender-specific. Maternal BMI modified these associations to some extent and exerted highly significant influence on child nutritional status both for overweight and obesity, whereas paternal BMI was significant only for the latter. Physical activity and family socioeconomic status had a limited impact once parental BMI was taken into account. Conclusion: Some markers of unhealthy diet are specific to gender and to the level of excess weight in young schoolchildren. Maternal BMI is one of the key determinants of excess weight in schoolchildren.