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Growth pattern of overweight preschool children in the Siouxland WIC Program
Author(s) -
May Richard,
Barber Jackie,
Simpson Tracy,
Winders Nicole,
Kuhler Karen,
Schroeder Sharon
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
american journal of human biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.559
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1520-6300
pISSN - 1042-0533
DOI - 10.1002/ajhb.10094
Subject(s) - overweight , anthropometry , breastfeeding , medicine , demography , birth weight , pediatrics , population , standard score , obesity , environmental health , pregnancy , mathematics , statistics , sociology , biology , genetics
Demographic, nutritional, and anthropometric data were collected from 134 preschool children enrolled in the Siouxland Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). All children were diagnosed as overweight between the ages of 8 months and 3 years. Weight and length/height z‐scores were calculated for birth measurements and for postnatal measurements up to 3 years. The main hypothesis involved stability of weight and length/height z‐scores between successive WIC visits. Average changes in z‐scores between measurements were calculated and tested for significance using paired t ‐tests. Multiple regression analysis was used to test relationships between changes in weight z‐scores and demographic/nutritional characteristics. The overweight group had a higher percentage of Hispanic children than the total Siouxland WIC population. Overweight children were also significantly different in terms of birthweight, monthly household income, number in the house, and mother's education level. The children displayed a large average increase in weight z‐scores between birth and 8 months ( P < 0.001). Weight z‐scores also increased significantly between 12 and 30 months. Length z‐scores increased significantly between 18 and 30 months but remained lower than weight z‐scores. Initial weight, sex of child, breastfeeding, and household size were significantly related to changes in weight z‐scores among overweight children. Results of recent studies suggest that rapid weight gain in infancy may increase the risk of overweight during later childhood. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 14:769–776, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.