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Setting the stage for childhood fitness: Dietary energy density is associated with locomotor development in a nationally representative sample of US children age 3–5y
Author(s) -
DiGiovanni Julia,
Vernarelli Jacqueline A
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.957.34
Subject(s) - stage (stratigraphy) , energy density , sample (material) , early childhood , demography , medicine , gerontology , developmental psychology , psychology , biology , chemistry , engineering , sociology , paleontology , engineering physics , chromatography
Childhood obesity is an ongoing public health problem. Researchers have identified dietary energy density (ED, kcal/g) and sedentary behavior as risk factors for obesity during childhood, but little is known about the relationship between diet and early development of predictors of fitness during childhood. The 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey National Youth Fitness Survey (NYFS) collected data on dietary behaviors, physical activity and fitness levels in a nationally representative sample of US children and adolescents. The objective of this study was to determine how eating patterns influence locomotor development (ability to jump, gallop, catch, throw, etc.) in a nationally representative sample of 589 young children age 3–5yr. Locomotor development can be used as an early indicator of physical development and potential for childhood fitness fitness. In the present study, we observed a negative linear relationship between dietary energy density and locomotor skills (p‐trend=0.03). Children with the lowest locomotor skill scores (1.75 and 1.82 for scores of 2 and 4, respectively) had significantly higher dietary ED than children with the highest standardized locomotor skill scores (1.25 and 1.20 kcal/g, for scores of 12 and 17, respectively) which corresponds with a difference in caloric intake of approximately 500kcal between those with the highest and lowest locomotor skill scores. These results indicate that diet in early childhood corresponds with development of physical characteristics that are associated with fitness. Interventions that aim to lower dietary energy density in young children may not only prevent excessive weight gain, but also promote physical development.Mean Adjusted Dietary Energy Density by Standardized Locomotor Score. ED is adjusted for age, sex, race, household poverty:income ratio, BMI percentile