Ratio of weight to height gain: a useful tool for identifying children at risk of becoming overweight or obese at preschool age
Clinics
;
66(7): 1223-1226, 2011. ilus
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-596912
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
To analyze the usefulness of the weight gain/height gain ratio from birth to two and three years of age as a predictive risk indicator of excess weight at preschool age.METHODS:
The weight and height/length of 409 preschool children at daycare centers were measured according to internationally recommended rules. The weight values and body mass indices of the children were transformed into a z-score per the standard method described by the World Health Organization. The Pearson correlation coefficients (rP) and the linear regressions between the anthropometric parameters and the body mass index z-scores of preschool children were statistically analyzed (alpha = 0.05).RESULTS:
The mean age of the study population was 3.2 years (± 0.3 years). The prevalence of excess weight was 28.8 percent, and the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 8.8 percent. The correlation coefficients between the body mass index z-scores of the preschool children and the birth weights or body mass indices at birth were low (0.09 and 0.10, respectively). There was a high correlation coefficient (rP = 0.79) between the mean monthly gain of weight and the body mass index z-score of preschool children. A higher coefficient (rP = 0.93) was observed between the ratio of the mean weight gain per height gain (g/cm) and the preschool children body mass index z-score. The coefficients and their differences were statistically significant.CONCLUSION:
Regardless of weight or length at birth, the mean ratio between the weight gain per g/cm of height growth from birth presented a strong correlation with the body mass index of preschool children. These results suggest that this ratio may be a good indicator of the risk of excess weight and obesity in preschool-aged children.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Body Height
/
Body Weight
/
Overweight
Type of study:
Etiology study
/
Prognostic study
/
Risk factors
Limits:
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
/
Infant, Newborn
Language:
English
Journal:
Clinics
Journal subject:
Medicine
Year:
2011
Type:
Article
/
Project document
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Universidade de São Paulo/BR
/
Universidade of Taubaté/BR
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