Dietary and Physical Activity Habits as Conditioning Factors of Nutritional Status among Children of GENYAL Study

Excess weight (EW) in children has become a severe public health problem. The present study aimed to describe the main lifestyle characteristics and their possible association with nutritional status in a group of schoolchildren enrolled in the GENYAL study, where 221 children in the first or second grade of primary education (6-9 years old) were included. Anthropometric (BMI and bioimpedance), dietary intake (twice-repeated 24 h food record), and physical activity (twice-repeated 24 h physical activity questionnaire) data were collected. Logistic and linear regressions, with p-values adjusted for multiple tests by Bonferroni's method and with sex and age as covariates, were applied. The prevalence of EW was 19%, 25.4%, and 32.2%, according to Orbegozo Foundation, IOFT, and WHO criteria, respectively. The results showed a significant association between schoolchildren's nutritional status and energy balance, defined as the ratio of estimated energy intake to estimated energy expenditure (%), (β = -1.49 (-1.9-1.07), p < 0.01) and KIDMED Mediterranean Diet Quality Index score (β = -0.19 (95% IC -0.38-0), p = 0.04), and between the availability of TV or other technological devices in their room and the child's BMI (β = 1.15 (95% IC 0.20-2.10), p = 0.017) and their fat mass (β = 3.28 (95% IC 0.69-5.87), p = 0.013). The number of dairy servings/day had a protective effect against EW (OR = 0.48 (0.29-0.75), p adjusted = 0.05)). Studying lifestyle factors associated with obesity is essential for developing tools and strategies for obesity prevention in children.