Characteristics of the diet and patterns of physical activity in obese Chilean preschoolers.

摘要

A case-control study was carried out using 237 obese, weight/height ((W/H)>2 S.D. WHO) and 449 non-obese (W/H between -1 and 1), 4-year-old low-income children who regularly attended 8 health centres in Santiago, Chile in 1995/96. A food frequency questionnaire registering the child's usual daily food intake and a physical activity recall questionnaire with 5 categories, according to energy cost were given to the mother. In terms of the diet, there was no difference in the estimated intake of totalenergy, energy dense foods or macronutrients between obese and non-obese. For boys, the estimated energy intake was 1823±442 vs. 1778±373 kcal, respectively. With respect to physical activity, in obese boys, the average time spent on the different categories was: sleep, 11.2±1 h; TV, 3.2±1.8 h; sedentary (includes TV), 7.8±2 h; moderate, 3.2±2 h and intense, 1.9±1.8 h. The calculated physical activity level (PAL) was low and very similar for both obese as non-obese, 1.46±0.14 and 1.47±0.12, respectively. Although no differences were found in either the estimated energy consumption or in the PAL values between obese and non-obese, (probably due to the weaknesses of the methodologies, the variability of the diet, and the difficulty in identifying the persistent small dietary imbalances which lead to obesity) it is concluded that obese children have significantly higher estimated intakes of energy than recommended and lead very sedentary lives.