Background: Waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) begin to gain attention as measures of adiposity and as important cardiometabolic disease risk factors also among children. Still, little research has been done on behavioral determinants of WC and WHtR in children. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between health behaviors, WC and WHtR in children.
Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study conducted in Swedish-speaking schools in Helsinki region in 2006. In all, 1146 children were recruited, from which 55 % took part in the study. A total of 604 9-11-year-old children (312 girls, 292 boys) were measured by research staff and completed a study questionnaire on their health behaviors, including breakfast intake, TV viewing, sleep duration and physical activity, and a 16-item food frequency questionnaire. Covariance analysis was used as the statistical analysis method.
Results: When controlling for other health behaviors, for example, irregular breakfast (B-coefficient 2.49 CI, 0.64-4.34; P<0.01), TV viewing (B-coefficient 0.89 CI, 0.17-1.61; P<0.05), a TV in child's room (B-coefficient 2.30 CI, 0.73-3.86; P<0.01) and physical inactivity during school breaks (B-coefficient 0.78 CI, 0.19-1.37; P<0.01) were associated with larger WC. Results were similar with WHtR.
Conclusions: Many health behaviors were related to children's WC and WHtR. Determinants were associated to both WC and WHtR similarly.