Assessment of Body Mass Index, Sugar Sweetened Beverage Intake and Time Spent in Physical Activity of American Indian Children in Oklahoma

Abstract

American Indian (AI) children have a combined overweight and obesity prevalence of 53%. Behaviors that contribute to obesity, such as sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) intake and time spent in physical activity (PA), have been poorly explored in this population. The purpose of this study is to report body mass index (BMI), SSB intake, and time spent in PA of 7-to-13-year-old AI children who reside in rural and urban areas in Oklahoma. Cross-sectional survey study. Self-reported SSB intake in the last month, and time spent in PA were collected via questionnaires. Height and weight were professionally measured. The sample included 124 7-to-13-year-old AI children who attended a diabetes prevention summer camp in 2013. BMI percentile, overweight and obesity prevalence, SSB intake, time spent in PA, and number of participants meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Descriptive characteristics for BMI percentile, overweight and obesity, SSB intake, time spent in PA, and meeting PA recommendations were calculated using means, standard deviations, and frequencies. Independent t test and Chi square analyses were used to test for gender differences. Participants were 10.2 ± 1.5 years old and 57% female. Sixty-three percent were overweight or obese. Children consumed 309 ± 309 kcal/day of SSB and spent 4.4 ± 3.8 h per week in moderate-to-vigorous PA. Approximately 32% met the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. No gender differences were observed. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher than previously reported in a similar population, and higher than that of US children in the general population. SSB intake and physical activity levels were also found to be higher in this group than in the general population.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Health Outcomes Among American Indians in Oklahoma: the THRIVE Study

“…Additionally, 71% of participants in our study reported low physical activity, consistent with other studies that have reported that most AI adults, and more than three quarters of AI youth, do not meet minimum public health recommendations for physical activity [27, 28], even though some evidence suggests that AIs engage in physical activity at higher rates than other racial/ethnic groups [29]. Finally, 25% of individuals we surveyed reported using tobacco.…”

Influencing Factors of the Body Mass Index of Elementary Students in Southern Taiwan

“…The present study demonstrated that the percentage of normal body weight among participants who did not add vegetable or meat gravy to their rice was significantly higher than that among participants who occasionally or always added vegetable or meat gravy to their rice. Previous studies have echoed this idea that sugar and oil intake is associated with an increased risk for overweight and obesity [30,31]. One longitudinal study also investigated childhood dietary patterns and their association with childhood overweight/obesity, and reported that promoting a diet rich in whole meal cereals may counteract overweight and obesity in children [32].…”

Cardiovascular Disease in American Indian and Alaska Native Youth: Unique Risk Factors and Areas of Scholarly Need

“…Only 20% to 27% of AI/AN adults are estimated to engage in regular physical activity . Data on AI children in Oklahoma show similar trends, with only 30% meeting the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans …”

“…71,72 Data on AI children in Oklahoma show similar trends, with only 30% meeting the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 73 A systematic literature review of physical activity levels among AI/AN and First Nations people found that 26.5% of children met World Health Organization or Canadian physical activity guidelines according to studies using self-reported data, while 45.7% of children met guidelines according to studies based on accelerometry or pedometry, although selfreporting in children may be less reliable. 74 Other research shows that AI/AN children who do not participate in team sports, rarely engage in physical activity, and perform poorly on fitness tests have a higher risk of obesity.…”