Department of Maternal and Child Health, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2011;66(7):1223-6. doi: 10.1590/s1807-59322011000700017.
To analyze the usefulness of the weight gain/height gain ratio from birth to two and three years of age as a predictive risk indicator of excess weight at preschool age.
The weight and height/length of 409 preschool children at daycare centers were measured according to internationally recommended rules. The weight values and body mass indices of the children were transformed into a z-score per the standard method described by the World Health Organization. The Pearson correlation coefficients (rP) and the linear regressions between the anthropometric parameters and the body mass index z-scores of preschool children were statistically analyzed (alpha = 0.05).
The mean age of the study population was 3.2 years (± 0.3 years). The prevalence of excess weight was 28.8%, and the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 8.8%. The correlation coefficients between the body mass index z-scores of the preschool children and the birth weights or body mass indices at birth were low (0.09 and 0.10, respectively). There was a high correlation coefficient (rP = 0.79) between the mean monthly gain of weight and the body mass index z-score of preschool children. A higher coefficient (rP = 0.93) was observed between the ratio of the mean weight gain per height gain (g/cm) and the preschool children body mass index z-score. The coefficients and their differences were statistically significant.
Regardless of weight or length at birth, the mean ratio between the weight gain per g/cm of height growth from birth presented a strong correlation with the body mass index of preschool children. These results suggest that this ratio may be a good indicator of the risk of excess weight and obesity in preschool-aged children.
分析从出生到 2 岁和 3 岁时体重/身高增长比值作为学龄前超重风险预测指标的作用。
按照国际推荐的规则，对 409 名日托中心学龄前儿童的体重和身高/长度进行测量。采用世界卫生组织标准方法，将儿童的体重值和体重指数转换为 z 分数。对学龄前儿童的人体测量参数和体重指数 z 分数之间的 Pearson 相关系数（rP）和线性回归进行统计学分析（alpha = 0.05）。
研究人群的平均年龄为 3.2 岁（±0.3 岁）。超重的患病率为 28.8%，超重和肥胖的患病率为 8.8%。学龄前儿童体重指数 z 分数与出生体重或出生时体重指数的相关系数较低（分别为 0.09 和 0.10）。学龄前儿童体重的月平均增长率与体重指数 z 分数之间存在较高的相关系数（rP = 0.79）。体重/身高增长（g/cm）的平均增长率比值与学龄前儿童体重指数 z 分数之间的相关性更高（rP = 0.93）。这些系数及其差异具有统计学意义。
无论出生时的体重或长度如何，从出生到 2 岁和 3 岁时体重/身高增长比值的平均值与学龄前儿童的体重指数呈强相关。这些结果表明，该比值可能是预测学龄前儿童超重和肥胖风险的一个很好的指标。
