Sedentary Behavior Is Independently Related to Fat Mass among Children and Adolescents in South China

Abstract

We aim to explore the independent associations of sedentary behaviors (SB) with body mass distribution among Chinese children. Data on the screen-based sedentary time (television viewing and computer use) and doing homework, physical activities and dietary intake of 1586 Chinese children (50.3% girls) aged 7–15 years were obtained through validated questionnaires. Skin-fold thickness, body height, and weight were measured to calculate percent body fat (%BF), fat mass index (FMI), and fat-free mass index (FFMI). Parental characteristics were collected by questionnaires. Among girls, time of SB (screen time or doing homework) was positively related to %BF, FMI, and FFMI (p < 0.03) after adjusting for maternal overweight, the average annual income of family, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity energy expenditure, and energy intake: Girls in the highest tertile of screen time/homework had 16.7%/23.3% higher relative FMI and 2.9%/2.9% higher relative FFMI than girls in the lowest tertile. Among boys, screen time was positively associated with FFMI (p < 0.003), but not related to %BF and FMI (p > 0.09), while time of doing homework was positively related to %BF and FMI (p = 0.03). Sedentary behaviors might be positively and independently related to fat mass among Chinese children, and were more pronounced in girls.

Serial album validation for promotion of infant body weight control

“…This epidemiological and nutritional picture is explained, in large part, by the changes that have been occurring in the food pattern, resulting in more and more common obesogenic diets 2 . Add to this the reduction of physical activity and an increase in the practice of sedentary activities, such as watching television 3 . In addition, other factors associated with the etiology of obesity in children are: parental obesity, maternal diabetes, maternal smoking, gestational weight gain 4 , inadequate sleep 5 , influences of the family and school environment 6 , socioeconomic and educational aspects of the family 7 , among others.…”

Percent of body fat, fat-mass, fat-free mass and assessment of body composition among rural school-going children of Eastern-India

“…Body fat is a normal component of human body that accumulates in adipose tissue. It serves as a useful marker for assessing adiposity of individuals (Hu 2008;Sen and Mondal 2013;Colley et al 2015;Griffiths et al 2016;Xue et al 2016). The predictions of body fatness and body composition are based most-ly upon anthropometric measures such as height, weight, percentage body fat (PBF), body mass index (BMI), waisthip ratio and skinfold thickness (Rolland-Cachera 1993;Hall et al 2007).…”

“…BMI can be better expressed in terms of fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) [BMI = FFM (kg)/height 2 (m 2 ) + FM (kg)/height 2 (m 2 )] (Wells 2010) and it also includes the FM index (FMI) and FFM index (FFMI). The disintegration of BMI into FM and FFM needs the help of anthropometric measurements and body composition assessment (VanItallie et al 1990;Wells 2010;Sen and Mondal 2013;Xue et al 2016;Sharma and Mondal 2018). Body composition status reflects nutritional intakes, losses and needs over time (i.e., FFM and FFMI) along with the prevalence of undernutrition.…”

Physical activity patterns by objective measurements in preschoolers from China

“…A systematic review found moderate evidence for the association between television viewing and overweight in preschoolers (Te Velde et al 2012). One study in China indicated that sedentary behaviors might be positively and independently related to fat mass among Chinese children (Xue et al 2016). While the crosssectional nature of this study does not allow for any conclusions vis-àvis cause and effect, our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that ST or LPA constitutes a major contributing factor in the development and continuation of childhood obesity (Trost et al 2003).…”