Characteristics of the diet and patterns of physical activity in obese Chilean preschoolers

The prevalence of obesity among chilean children has increased progressively during the last decade. A study was carried out with the objective of identifying the two most important environmental factors involved in this condition, characteristics of the diet and patterns of physical activity. It was a case-control study which included 237 obese, weight/height (W/H)>2 S.D. WHO) and 449 non-obese (W/H between -1 and 1 S. D.), four year old low income children who regularly assisted to 8 health centers in Santiago during 1995/96. Two questionnaires were applied to the mother: a food frequency plus a physical activity recall. The first one registered her child's usual daily food intake, the second one, the child's usual daily activities, defining 5 categories, according to their energy cost. In terms of the diet, there was no difference in the estimated intake of total energy, energy dense foods or macronutrients between obese and non-obese. For boys, for example, the estimated energy intake was 1823+/-442 versus 1778+/-373 Kcal respectively. With respect to physical activity, the results showed that in obese boys, the average time spent on the different categories was: sleep, 11.2 +/- 1 hr; TV, 3.2 +/- 1.8 hr; sedentary (includes TV), 7.8 +/- 2 hr; moderate, 3.2+/- 2 hr and intense, 1.9 +/- 1.8 hr. No significant differences with these figures were observed for non-obese boys as for both obese as Pion-obese girls, with the exception of the moderate and intense categories, in which the first one was significantly greater and the second significantly smaller in girls. The calculated physical activity level (PAL) was low and very similar for both obese as nonobese, 1.46+/-0.14 and 1.47+/-0.12, respectively. Although no differences were found in either the estimated energy consumption or in the PAL values between obese and non-obese, probably due to the weaknesses of the methodologies, to the variability of the diet, and to the difficulty in identifying the persistent small dietary imbalances which lead to obesity, we have shown nevertheless, that these children have significantly higher estimated intakes of energy than recommended and lead very sedentary lives. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.