| Abstract |
Introduction: Childhood obesity is a major public health problem worldwide,
especially in developed countries. Particularly, in preschool and adolescent children,
the longitudinal study of the phenomenon is of major importance since obesity at this
age can cause adverse effects on their health as adults and affect their entire lives.
Aim: Aim of this study was to assess childhood obesity and to highlight the factors
that may increase the risk of its occurrence and correlate to the family demographic
profile, habits and conditions during pregnancy and childbirth.
Methods: The present master thesis was included in the "REA" cohort study. The
Mother-Child study in Crete, study "REA", is a cohort study of 1500 pregnant women
(Greek and of other ethnicities) and their children in the prefecture of Heraklion. The
sample of the present study was 952 children, for whom there were measurements of
obesity at 4, 7 and / or 11 years, as well as data on the demographic profile of the
family, such as gestational age, duration of breastfeeding and birth weight, smoking
Maternal habits and kg / m2 body mass index (BMI) of parents and child.
Results: The majority of children had normal weight at the age of 4 (n = 699, 73.4%)
with an average BMI of 16.2 kg / m2, while 13.8% (n = 131) were obese. A similar
picture was observed between boys and girls, with no statistically significant
differences. Respectively, 43.2% (n = 411) of children had normal weight at 7 years
and 13.8% (n = 131) were obese. The average BMI at 7 years remained the same as at
4 years (16.2 kg / m2, 2.8 kg / m2) and the average BMI at 11 years was 19.8 kg / m2
(5 kg / m2). Birth weight appeared to be slightly associated with an increase in BMI at
4 years (rho = 0.1, Pvalue = 0.004), but not with BMI at other ages. Breastfeeding
duration showed a low correlation with BMI at 4 (rho = -0.09, Pvalue = 0.0008) and
at 7 years (rho = -0.1, Pvalue = 0.015). Finally, positive slight correlations were found
with maternal and paternal BMI in all three age measurement phases. From the
multifactorial accounting regression model for the risk of overweight / obese child at
4 years, it appeared that breastfeeding duration (RR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.012-0.304),
maternal BMI (RR = 1.92, 95% CI) played a role = 1.881-1.965) and father (RR =
1.9, 95% CI = 1.855-1.954). Finally, smoking during pregnancy had RR = 0.6 (95%
CI = 0.350-0.924). A similar trend was presented for the age of 7 years, and for the
age of 11 years the important factors were only the BMI of the mother (RR = 1.1,
95% CI = 1.049-1.159) and the BMI of the father (RR = 1.19, 95 % CI = 1.113-
1.280).
Δημόσια Υγεία-Πρωτοβάθμια Φροντίδα Υγείας-Υπηρεσίες Υγείας
Ιατρική Σχολή–Πανεπιστήμιο Κρήτης
vi
Conclusions: The role of breastfeeding and parental obesity in increasing the risk of
childhood obesity became apparent from the present study. In addition, the significant
rates of overweight and obese children in combination with child nutrition and
exercise (lifestyle) may be the subject of future studies.
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Διαχρονική μελέτη της παχυσαρκίας σε παιδιά από την προσχολική ως την εφηβική ηλικία στα πλαίσια της προοπτικής μελέτης κοορτής «Ρέα».
