Dietary and Physical Activity Habits as Conditioning Factors of Nutritional Status among Children of GENYAL Study

Excess weight (EW) in children has become a severe public health problem. The present study aimed to describe the main lifestyle characteristics and their possible association with nutritional status in a group of schoolchildren enrolled in the GENYAL study, where 221 children in the first or second grade of primary education (6-9 years old) were included. Anthropometric (BMI and bioimpedance), dietary intake (twice-repeated 24 h food record), and physical activity (twice-repeated 24 h physical activity questionnaire) data were collected. Logistic and linear regressions, with p-values adjusted for multiple tests by Bonferroni's method and with sex and age as covariates, were applied. The prevalence of EW was 19%, 25.4%, and 32.2%, according to Orbegozo Foundation, IOFT, and WHO criteria, respectively. The results showed a significant association between schoolchildren's nutritional status and energy balance, defined as the ratio of estimated energy intake to estimated energy expenditure (%), (beta = -1.49 (-1.9-1.07), p < 0.01) and KIDMED Mediterranean Diet Quality Index score (beta = -0.19 (95% IC -0.38-0), p = 0.04), and between the availability of TV or other technological devices in their room and the child's BMI (beta = 1.15 (95% IC 0.20-2.10), p = 0.017) and their fat mass (beta = 3.28 (95% IC 0.69-5.87), p = 0.013). The number of dairy servings/day had a protective effect against EW (OR = 0.48 (0.29-0.75), p adjusted = 0.05)). Studying lifestyle factors associated with obesity is essential for developing tools and strategies for obesity prevention in children.

Automated summary

The present study aimed to describe the main lifestyle characteristics and their possible association with nutritional status in a group of schoolchildren. The results showed a significant association between schoolchildren's nutritional status and energy balance, Mediterranean Diet Quality Index score, and the availability of TV or other technological devices in their room. The number of daily dairy servings had a protective effect against excess weight.