(15-02-11) Diet Quality Is Independently Associated with Weight Status in Children Aged 9-10 Years.

Jennings A, Welch A, van Sluijs EM, Griffin SJ, Cassidy A.

Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of East Anglia,
Norwich UK NR4 7TJ.
Abstract
Although energy imbalance is key to the development of childhood obesity, the
association between different dietary components, reflected in diet quality
scores, and children's weight status has not been extensively studied. The
current study determined if diet quality, characterized according to 3
predefined scores, was associated with weight status in a population-based
sample of 9- to 10-y-old British children, independently of factors previously
associated with weight status. In a cross-sectional study of 1700 children (56%
girls), data from 4-d food diaries were used to calculate 3 diet quality scores
modified to be reflective of children's diets: the Diet Quality Index (DQI),
Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI), and Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). Physical
activity was measured with 7-d accelerometery, and height, weight, waist, and
bio-impedance were objectively measured and used to calculate weight status
variables. After multiple adjustments, including physical activity and overall
energy density, higher DQI and HDI scores were significantly associated with
improved weight status. Comparing extreme quintiles of the scores revealed the
DQI and HDI were associated with lower waist circumference (-3.0%, P = 0.005
and -2.5%, P = 0.033, respectively), and lower body fat (-5.1%, P = 0.023 and
-4.9%, P = 0.026, respectively). The DQI was also associated with lower weight
(-5.9%; P = 0.002) and BMI (-4.2%; P = 0.004). No significant associations were
observed with the MDS. These findings suggest that diet quality is
independently associated with children's weight status. Future work should
consider if diet quality scores could be key components of interventions
designed to reduce obesity in children.

Source: J Nutr. 2011 Jan 26. [Epub ahead of print]

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