Dietary habits and physical activity: Which influence on abdominal fat deposition in children and adolescents?

Article type: Research Article

Authors: De Giuseppe, Rachele^{a; 1; *} | Calcaterra, Valeria^{b; 1} | Biino, Ginevra^c | Rodriguez, Noelia^{a; d} | Gerbaldo, Anna^a | Mantelli, Melissa^e | Cena, Hellas^{a; f}

Affiliations: [a] Laboratory of Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy | [b] Department of Maternal and Children’s Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo and University of Pavia, Department of Internal Medicine, Pavia, Italy | [c] Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Council of Italy, Pavia, Italy | [d] Master of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium | [e] Immunology and Transplantation Laboratory/Cell Factory/Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy | [f] Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Service, Unit of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, ICS Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia, Italy

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Rachele De Giuseppe, Unit of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy. Tel./Fax: 0039 0382987191; E-mail: [email protected].

Note: [1] Dr. Rachele De Giuseppe and Dr. Valeria Calcaterra equally contributed.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Prevention of childhood obesity is recommended throughout interventions aiming at enhancing healthy dietary habits (DH) and increasing physical activity (PA). OBJECTIVE:This cross-sectional study aimed at investigating DH and PA, in a sample of Italian children/adolescents. METHODS:We evaluated DH and PA by means of a previously validated questionnaire in 178 children/adolescents (88F/90M, 11.8±2.6 years): 49 normal weight (NW), 76 overweight (OW) and 53 with obesity (OB). Abdominal obesity was defined as Waist to Height Ratio (WHeR) >0.5. RESULTS:DH did not differ in NW subjects compared to OW and OB but higher PA score (p = 0.001) was observed in NW than OW and OB. No association was found between DH and WHeR, unlike PA. Four clusters of subjects were identified that could be defined by DH and PA; only one cluster, defined by PA, showed a significantly lower WHeR within subjects playing sports at least 3–4 hours/week. Moreover, subjects belonging to this cluster did not skip the main meals, eat a varied diet and drank milk at breakfast. CONCLUSIONS:In our sample PA performed at least 3–4 hours/week is inversely associated with abdominal fat deposition and is expected to positively impact health, protecting from abdominal obesity.

Keywords: Childhood obesity, abdominal obesity, physical activity, waist to height ratio, dietary habits

DOI: 10.3233/MNM-200407

Journal: Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 215-223, 2020