Micronutrient status is inversely associated with truncal fat mass and obesity among Mexican American children

Associations between micronutrient status and body adiposity were determined among 1,131 Mexican American children 8–15 years of age included in the 2001–2004 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Children's body mass index (BMI) and trunkal fat (TrFat) were used as measures of body adiposity (BA). Associations of BMI and TrFat with α‐carotene, cis‐β‐carotene, trans‐β‐carotene, retinol, and α‐tocopherol serum concentrations were determined using linear and multinomial regression models. In the linear regression models the highest quartiles of α –carotene, trans‐β‐carotene and α‐tocopherol concentrations were associated with lower TrFat in children (β=−1.92, SE:0.68, p<0.01; β=−3.33, SE:0.68, p<0.01; β=−3.16, SE:0.73, p<0.01, respectively). In the multinomial models the highest quartiles of cis‐β‐carotene, and α‐tocopherol concentrations are associated with reduced risks of overweight (RR=0.64, 95% CI 0.43–0.95, p=0.03; RR=0.55, 95% CI 0.36–0.83, p<0.01, respectively) and obesity (RR=0.39, 95% CI: 0.26–0.58, p<0.01; RR=0.38, 95% CI 0.24–0.60, p<0.01, respectively). Higher retinol quartiles are associated with increased risks of overweight or obesity (RR=2.12, 95% CI: 1.34–3.35, p<0.01; RR=3.19, 95% CI 1.84–5.51, p<0.01, respectively). Serum micronutrient concentrations are inversely associated with fat mass and obesity among Mexican American children.