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Does fat intake predict adiposity in healthy children and adolescents aged 2–15 y? A longitudinal analysis

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 55, pages 471–481 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between food energy and macronutrient intake and body fatness assessed up to seven times between 2 and 15 y of age.

Design: Prospective, observational study. Generalised linear estimating equations were used to evaluate the longitudinal relationship between body fatness and macronutrient intake. Regression analysis was used to assess whether body fatness at a particular age was predicted by intake at any of the previous ages.

Setting: Community-based project in Adelaide, South Australia.

Subjects: In all 143–243 subjects from a representative birth cohort of healthy children recruited in 1975 and followed over 15 y.

Main outcome measures: The dependent variables were body mass index (BMI), triceps (TC) and subscapular (SS) skinfolds, expressed as standard deviation (s.d.) scores at each age. The predictor variables were energy-adjusted macronutrient intake and total energy intake, estimated from a 3–4 day diet diary, the previous corresponding measure of body fatness, sex and parental BMI, TC or SS.

Results: Across 2–15 y energy-adjusted fat and carbohydrate intakes were respectively directly and inversely related to SS skinfold measures but not to either BMI or TC skinfold. The best predictor of fatness was previous adiposity, with the effect strengthening as the age interval shortened. Parental BMI, maternal SS and paternal TC contributed to the variance of the corresponding measure in children at some but not all ages.

Conclusions: The current level of body fatness of the child and parental adiposity are more important predictors than dietary intake variables of risk of children becoming or remaining overweight as they grow.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2001) 55, 471–481

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Acknowledgements

We thank the young people in the Adelaide Nutrition Study who have patiently and cheerfully recorded their food intake and allowed themselves to be measured over many years, and especially their parents. The work was originally funded by the National Heart Foundation of Australia, and subsequently by the Adelaide Children's Hospital Research Foundation and the National Health and Medical Research council of Australia.

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Author notes

  1. AM Magarey: Guarantor: AM Magarey.

  2. AM Magarey, LA Daniels, TJC Boulton and RA Cockington: Contributors: AMM was responsible for maintenance of the cohort, data collection, conceptualization, data analysis, drafting and critical review of the manuscript. LAD was responsible for contribution to conceptualisation, data analysis, drafting and critical review of the manuscript. TJCB was responsible for establishment and maintence of the cohort, data collection, conceptualisation of hypotheses relevant to the aetiology of obesity and use of cohort data to test these ideas, and critical review of the manuscript. RAC was responsible for maintenance of the cohort from age 8 y.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia

    AM Magarey & LA Daniels

  2. Women's and Children's Health, The Nepean Hospital, Penrith and Western Clincial School, University Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    TJC Boulton

  3. The Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, Australia

    RA Cockington

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  4. RA Cockington
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Magarey, A., Daniels, L., Boulton, T. et al. Does fat intake predict adiposity in healthy children and adolescents aged 2–15 y? A longitudinal analysis. Eur J Clin Nutr 55, 471–481 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601207

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