Objective: To examine the association of the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA) screening tool with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in 10-year old children.
Methods: A total of 119 children were assessed for body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, waist circumference, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL), and resting blood pressure. A continuous CVD risk score was created using total cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol ratio (TC:HDL), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and waist circumference. The FNPA survey was completed by parents.
Results: The FNPA score was significantly correlated with adiposity measures (r = ?0.35 to ?0.43) and the continuous CVD risk score (r = ?0.22) (p < 0.05) but not with TC:HDL or MAP. The prevalence of overweight and obese (43.1% vs. 14.9%) and the mean values for BMI (20.3 ? 4.3 vs. 18.0 ? 2.7 kg/m(2)) and percent body fat (24.8 ? 8.3% vs. 20.1 ? 5.7%) were significantly higher in children with a FNPA score ? 25 when compared to those with a FNPA score > 25 (median split) (p < 0.05). The continuous CVD risk score was not significantly different between these two groups. Overweight and obese children had a significantly lower mean FNPA score when compared to normal weight children.
Conclusion: Children from a high-risk, obesogenic family environment (determined using the FNPA) have a higher level of adiposity and CVD risk factor profile than children from a low-risk family environment. The FNPA screening tool can help identify children that may be at risk for overweight and adverse CVD risk factor development.