Association of physical activity with adiposity in preschoolers using different clinical adiposity measures: a cross-sectional study

doi:10.1186/s12887-019-1764-4

Multicenter Study

. 2019 Oct 31;19(1):397.

doi: 10.1186/s12887-019-1764-4.

Association of physical activity with adiposity in preschoolers using different clinical adiposity measures: a cross-sectional study

Amar Arhab^{1

2}, Nadine Messerli-Bürgy³, Tanja H Kakebeeke^{4

5}, Kerstin Stülb³, Annina Zysset⁴, Claudia S Leeger-Aschmann⁶, Einat A Schmutz⁶, Andrea H Meyer^{7

8}, Simone Munsch⁸, Susi Kriemler⁶, Oskar G Jenni^{4

5}, Jardena J Puder⁹

Affiliations

¹ Obstetric Service, Department Women-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. amar.arhab@unil.ch.
² Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Service of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Lausanne, Switzerland. amar.arhab@unil.ch.
³ Department of Psychology, Clinical Child Psychology and Biological Psychotherapy, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
⁴ Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁵ Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁶ Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁷ Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
⁸ Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
⁹ Obstetric Service, Department Women-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.

PMID: 31672126
PMCID: PMC6824011
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-019-1764-4

Multicenter Study

Association of physical activity with adiposity in preschoolers using different clinical adiposity measures: a cross-sectional study

Amar Arhab et al. BMC Pediatr. 2019.

. 2019 Oct 31;19(1):397.

doi: 10.1186/s12887-019-1764-4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Obstetric Service, Department Women-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. amar.arhab@unil.ch.
² Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Service of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Lausanne, Switzerland. amar.arhab@unil.ch.
³ Department of Psychology, Clinical Child Psychology and Biological Psychotherapy, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
⁴ Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁵ Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁶ Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁷ Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
⁸ Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
⁹ Obstetric Service, Department Women-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.

PMID: 31672126
PMCID: PMC6824011
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-019-1764-4

Abstract

Background: More research is needed about the association between physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB), and adiposity in preschoolers, particularly using more direct clinical measures of adiposity. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to investigate the association between objectively measured PA and different clinical adiposity measures in a large sample of preschoolers.

Methods: Four hundred sixty-three predominantly normal-weight (77%) 2-6-year-old preschool children participated in the Swiss Preschoolers' Health Study (SPLASHY). Physical activity was measured using accelerometers and was analyzed using 15-s (uni-axial) epoch length using validated cut-offs. Adiposity measures included body mass index (BMI), the sum of four skinfolds, and waist circumference (WC). Multilevel linear regression modeling, adjusted for age, sex and wear time, was used to assess the association between PA and SB with BMI, WC, and skinfold thickness.

Results: Total PA and different PA intensities were positively and SB was inversely associated with BMI in the total sample and in the normal-weight children (p < 0.05). Total PA was inversely associated with skinfold thickness in overweight and obese children (p < 0.05), while there was only a weak association for vigorous PA (p > 0.05). Moderate and moderate-to-vigorous PA were positively, and SB was negatively associated with WC in the total sample and in the normal-weight children (p < 0.05). Additional adjustment for potential sociocultural and biological confounding variables attenuated some of the results.

Conclusions: In this very young and predominantly normal-weight population, PA is positively related to BMI and WC, but this relationship is not observed in overweight and obese children. In this latter population, PA is inversely, and SB is positively related to skinfold thickness. Skinfold thickness could represent a useful and simple clinical measure of body fat in preschoolers. The role of vigorous PA in the prevention of early childhood obesity should be further investigated in future studies.

Trial registration: ISRCTN ISRCTN41045021 . Retrospectively registered 06 May 2014.

Keywords: Accelerometry; Body composition; Body mass index; Children; SPLASHY.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Cited by

Gender Differences in Fundamental Motor Skills Proficiency in Children Aged 3-6 Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Zheng Y, Ye W, Korivi M, Liu Y, Hong F. Zheng Y, et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jul 7;19(14):8318. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19148318. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022. PMID: 35886186 Free PMC article. Review.
Associations between Movement Behaviours and Obesity Markers among Preschoolers Compliant and Non-Compliant with Sleep Duration: A Latent Profile Analysis.
Souza AA, Mota JAPS, Silva GMGD, Tassitano RM, Clark CCT, Duncan MJ, Martins CML. Souza AA, et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 8;18(18):9492. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18189492. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021. PMID: 34574417 Free PMC article.
Association between Objectively Determined Physical Activity Levels and Body Composition in 6-8-Year-Old Children from a Black South African Population: BC-IT Study.
Sedumedi CM, Janssen X, Reilly JJ, Kruger HS, Monyeki MA. Sedumedi CM, et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jun 15;18(12):6453. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18126453. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021. PMID: 34203654 Free PMC article.
Rural-urban differences in body mass index and obesity-related behaviors among low-income preschoolers.
Contreras DA, Martoccio TL, Brophy-Herb HE, Horodynski M, Peterson KE, Miller AL, Senehi N, Sturza J, Kaciroti N, Lumeng JC. Contreras DA, et al. J Public Health (Oxf). 2021 Dec 10;43(4):e637-e644. doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdaa162. J Public Health (Oxf). 2021. PMID: 32964933 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.

References

1. WHO. Report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity. 2016. http://www.who.int/end-childhood-obesity/en/. Accessed 29 Jan 2016.
1. Jimenez-Pavon D, Kelly J, Reilly JJ. Associations between objectively measured habitual physical activity and adiposity in children and adolescents: systematic review. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2010;5:3–18. doi: 10.3109/17477160903067601. - DOI - PubMed
1. LeMura LM, Maziekas MT. Factors that alter body fat, body mass, and fat-free mass in pediatric obesity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002;34:487–496. doi: 10.1097/00005768-200203000-00016. - DOI - PubMed
1. Remmers T, Sleddens EF, Gubbels JS, de Vries SI, Mommers M, Penders J, et al. Relationship between physical activity and the development of body mass index in children. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014;46:177–184. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182a36709. - DOI - PubMed
1. Sijtsma A, Sauer PJ, Stolk RP, Corpeleijn E. Is directly measured physical activity related to adiposity in preschool children? Int J Pediatr Obes. 2011;6:389–400. doi: 10.3109/17477166.2011.606323. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

Actions
Actions

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

Associated data

Actions
- Search in PubMed
- Search in ISRCTN Controlled Trials

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
Medical
- MedlinePlus Consumer Health Information
- MedlinePlus Health Information

[1] WHO. Report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity. 2016. http://www.who.int/end-childhood-obesity/en/. Accessed 29 Jan 2016.

[2] WHO. Report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity. 2016. http://www.who.int/end-childhood-obesity/en/. Accessed 29 Jan 2016.

[3] Jimenez-Pavon D, Kelly J, Reilly JJ. Associations between objectively measured habitual physical activity and adiposity in children and adolescents: systematic review. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2010;5:3–18. doi: 10.3109/17477160903067601. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Jimenez-Pavon D, Kelly J, Reilly JJ. Associations between objectively measured habitual physical activity and adiposity in children and adolescents: systematic review. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2010;5:3–18. doi: 10.3109/17477160903067601. - DOI - PubMed

[5] LeMura LM, Maziekas MT. Factors that alter body fat, body mass, and fat-free mass in pediatric obesity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002;34:487–496. doi: 10.1097/00005768-200203000-00016. - DOI - PubMed

[6] LeMura LM, Maziekas MT. Factors that alter body fat, body mass, and fat-free mass in pediatric obesity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002;34:487–496. doi: 10.1097/00005768-200203000-00016. - DOI - PubMed

[7] Remmers T, Sleddens EF, Gubbels JS, de Vries SI, Mommers M, Penders J, et al. Relationship between physical activity and the development of body mass index in children. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014;46:177–184. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182a36709. - DOI - PubMed

[8] Remmers T, Sleddens EF, Gubbels JS, de Vries SI, Mommers M, Penders J, et al. Relationship between physical activity and the development of body mass index in children. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014;46:177–184. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182a36709. - DOI - PubMed

[9] Sijtsma A, Sauer PJ, Stolk RP, Corpeleijn E. Is directly measured physical activity related to adiposity in preschool children? Int J Pediatr Obes. 2011;6:389–400. doi: 10.3109/17477166.2011.606323. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Sijtsma A, Sauer PJ, Stolk RP, Corpeleijn E. Is directly measured physical activity related to adiposity in preschool children? Int J Pediatr Obes. 2011;6:389–400. doi: 10.3109/17477166.2011.606323. - DOI - PubMed

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Association of physical activity with adiposity in preschoolers using different clinical adiposity measures: a cross-sectional study

Affiliations

Association of physical activity with adiposity in preschoolers using different clinical adiposity measures: a cross-sectional study

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Associated data

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical