EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2013 Jun 21;10:80. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-10-80.
It is well known that the prevalence of overweight and obesity is considerably higher among youth from lower socio-economic families, but there is little information about the role of some energy balance-related behaviors in the association between socio-economic status and childhood overweight and obesity. The objective of this paper was to assess the possible mediation role of energy balance-related behaviors in the association between parental education and children's body composition.
Data were obtained from the cross sectional study of the "EuropeaN Energy balance Research to prevent excessive weight Gain among Youth" (ENERGY) project. 2121 boys and 2516 girls aged 10 to 12 from Belgium, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia and Spain were included in the analyses. Data were obtained via questionnaires assessing obesity related dietary, physical activity and sedentary behaviors and basic anthropometric objectively measured indicators (weight, height, waist circumference). The possible mediating effect of sugared drinks intake, breakfast consumption, active transportation to school, sports participation, TV viewing, computer use and sleep duration in the association between parental education and children's body composition was explored via MacKinnon's product-of-coefficients test in single and multiple mediation models. Two different body composition indicators were included in the models, namely Body Mass Index and waist circumference.
The association between parental education and children's body composition was partially mediated by breakfast consumption, sports participation, TV viewing and computer use. Additionally, a suppression effect was found for sugared drinks intake. No mediation effect was found for active transportation and sleep duration. The significant mediators explained a higher proportion of the association between parental education and waist circumference compared to the association between parental education and BMI.
Tailored overweight and obesity prevention strategies in low SES preadolescent populations should incorporate specific messages focusing on the importance of encouraging daily breakfast consumption, increasing sports participation and decreasing TV viewing and computer use. However, longitudinal research to support these findings is needed.
众所周知，社会经济地位较低的家庭的青少年超重和肥胖的患病率明显更高，但关于一些能量平衡相关行为在社会经济地位与儿童超重和肥胖之间的关系中的作用的信息却很少。本文的目的是评估能量平衡相关行为在父母教育与儿童身体成分之间的关联中的可能中介作用。
数据来自“欧洲预防青少年超重的能量平衡研究”（ENERGY）项目的横断面研究。比利时、希腊、匈牙利、荷兰、挪威、斯洛文尼亚和西班牙的 2121 名男孩和 2516 名 10 至 12 岁的儿童参与了分析。数据通过问卷获得，评估与肥胖相关的饮食、体力活动和久坐行为以及基本的人体测量学客观测量指标（体重、身高、腰围）。通过 MacKinnon 的乘积系数检验，在单一和多重中介模型中，探索了含糖饮料摄入、早餐摄入、上学的积极交通方式、运动参与、看电视、使用电脑和睡眠时间在父母教育与儿童身体成分之间的关联中的中介作用。在模型中纳入了两种不同的身体成分指标，即体重指数和腰围。
父母教育与儿童身体成分的关联部分通过早餐摄入、运动参与、看电视和使用电脑来介导。此外，还发现了含糖饮料摄入的抑制效应。没有发现积极交通和睡眠时间的中介作用。与父母教育和 BMI 之间的关联相比，显著的中介因素解释了父母教育与腰围之间的关联的更高比例。
在 SES 较低的青春期前人群中，针对超重和肥胖的预防策略应纳入具体信息，重点强调鼓励每天吃早餐、增加运动和减少看电视和使用电脑的重要性。然而，需要进行纵向研究来支持这些发现。
