Determinants of High Fat Mass Index in Preschoolers Living in Brazilian Urban Areas

Abstract

Objective: Determine the social, environmental, and personal factors associated with high fat mass index in preschoolers.

Design: A quantitative, exploratory, and cross-sectional study.

Setting and participants: Fifty-one Brazilian preschoolers from public schools living in urban areas.

Main outcome measure(s): The preschoolers' fat mass index was determined using dual-energy radiological absorptiometry. The quality of home and school environments were accessed using the Early Childhood Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment and Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales. The physical activity levels were recorded by accelerometers. The daily energy intake was recorded and sociodemographic data using the Brazilian Economic Classification criterion. Data on exposure time to screens and parental obesity were collected according to the parents' reports.

Analysis: Data analyses were performed using simple and multiple regressions models.

Results: Parental obesity (β, 0.516; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.078-5.133), high quality of environmental stimulation of home (β, 0.429; 95% CI, 1.294-4.023), and high exposure time to screens (β, 0.256; 95% CI, 0.215-2.554) explained 43% of preschoolers' high fat mass index.

Conclusions and implications: Identification of parental obesity, high quality of environmental stimulation of home, and high exposure time to screens as the most important determinants of the high fat mass index in preschoolers from Brazilian urban areas.

Keywords: childhood obesity; environmental factors; preschoolers.