The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Diet Quality in Preschool Children with Obesity
Date
2019-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Coaction is the extent to which engaging in one behavior increases the odds of
engaging in a second behavior. In adolescents and adults, engagement in physical
activity has been positively associated with diet quality indicators, with the strength of
the correlation often increasing with age—such that those more engaged in physical
activity have a higher diet quality. The preschool years are a critical time when
physical activity and eating habits are being established, but it is unknown if coaction
between physical activity and diet quality exists. The purpose of this study was to
examine the relationship between physical activity and diet quality in preschool
children (2-5 years old) with obesity.
A secondary analysis of 148 preschool children with obesity with at least two,
24- hour dietary recalls and three days (³5 hours/day) of physical activity data,
measured by an accelerometer, was conducted. Dietary recalls were analyzed using
Nutrition Data Systems for Research (NDS-R) software and diet quality was assessed
using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) total score and subcomponent scores.
Physical activity was assessed by engagement in average daily minutes of moderateto-
vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Pearson correlations were used to examine the
relationship between diet quality and MVPA for the overall sample. Stratified analyses
were also conducted by age, sex, family income, minutes of MVPA and body mass
index (BMI) percentile subgroups.
On average children had a HEI-2010 total score of 56.8 ± 10.7 and participated
in 92.6 ± 31.7 minutes of MVPA per day. There was no significant relationship
between MVPA and HEI-2010 total score (r = 0.049, p = 0.56) or any of the HEI
subcomponent scores. Among stratified analyses, in children two through three years
old, average MVPA was significantly correlated with the HEI-2010 subcomponent
greens and beans (r = 0.428, p = 0.011). In children five years old, average MVPA
was significantly correlated with total protein (r = 0.271, p = 0.038). Similarly, for
children living in households with an annual income ≥$75,000, MVPA was
significantly correlated with the HEI-2010 subcomponent score for total fruit (r =
0.281, p = 0.018). Additionally, among children with <60 minutes of MVPA per day,
the average MVPA was significantly correlated with the HEI-2010 subcomponent for
sodium (r = -0.376, p = 0.044). Lastly, in children with a BMI <98th percentile,
average MVPA was significantly correlated with the HEI-2010 subcomponent sodium
(r = -0.333, p = 0.027).
In preschool children with obesity, coaction between MVPA and diet quality
does not appear to be present. Future research should examine if weight status impacts
coaction between physical activity and diet quality, and where in the life course
coaction between these two behaviors may be established.
Description
Keywords
Dietetics, Diet quality, Preschool children, Obesity