Relationship between juvenile obesity, dietary energy and fat intake and physical activity

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship of juvenile obesity to dietary fat, particularly saturated fat, and with dietary energy (controlling for activity patterns). DESIGN: Cross-sectional, evaluation of diet and activity patterns of obese and non-obese children and adolescents. SUBJECTS: A total of 181 children, aged 4-16 y. Subjects were divided into two groups: obese (body mass index, BMI, > 95th percentile for age and sex), 40 males and 51 females; and non-obese (BMI < 75th percentile for age and sex), 35 males and 55 females. MEASUREMENTS: Dietary intake was analyzed with a dietary history interview; activity patterns were analyzed with an activity interview and body fat was measured with bioelectrical impedance analysis. RESULTS: The obese subjects consumed significantly more total calories, total fat in grams and saturated fatty acids (SFA) in grams than did the non-obese subjects. Based on step-wise multiple regression, the total energy consumed, not total fat or SFA, had the strongest relationship to the subject's percentage body fat, controlling for activity levels. CONCLUSION: We suggest that, although obese children and adolescents consume more dietary energy and fat than non-obese children and adolescents, there is a stronger relationship between total energy consumed and juvenile adiposity than with dietary fat or type of dietary fat consumed.