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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Contrasting patterns of overweight and thinness among preschool children of different ethnic groups in Norway, and relations with maternal and early life factors

Authors: Ingun Toftemo, Anne Karen Jenum, Per Lagerløv, Pétur B. Júlίusson, Ragnhild Sørum Falk, Line Sletner

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Childhood obesity is a worldwide health challenge and risk factor for adult life obesity, which predisposes to development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, also thinness in early life has been related to these diseases, especially if followed by fat gain. In European countries, susceptibility to cardio-metabolic diseases varies considerably between ethnic groups. We investigated ethnic differences in overweight and thinness in a multi-ethnic, population-based cohort of preschool children in Norway, and associations with maternal and early postnatal factors.

Methods

Participants were children aged 4–5 years (n = 570) drawn from the population-based STORK Groruddalen cohort of healthy women and offspring followed from early pregnancy. Ethnic groups were: European (n = 298), South Asian (n = 154), and Middle East/North African (n = 118). Children’s growth data were provided from routine visits at local Child Health Clinics. Weight status was defined by the International Obesity Task Force. Using multinomial logistic regression analysis, we explored ethnic differences in overweight and thinness, and associations with maternal-, pre, − and postnatal factors.

Results

Children of Middle East/North African origin had higher prevalence of overweight (22.0%) compared to European (12.8%) children, and in adjusted logistic regression analysis almost the double risk (OR 1.98; 95%CI: 1.08–3.63). Prevalence was lower in children of South Asian origin (5.2%). Children with South Asian background had higher prevalence of thinness (26.0%) compared to ethnic Europeans (10.4%), and the double risk (OR 2.20; 95%CI: 1.25–3.87) in adjusted models. Applying newly suggested BMI adjustments in South Asian children, taking into account their relatively increased adiposity, markedly increased the prevalence of overweight, and decreased the prevalence of thinness in this subgroup. Birthweight and maternal prepregnant overweight were strongly, positively associated with overweight, and inversely associated with thinness. Lower maternal age was associated with overweight only.

Conclusions

In a multi-ethnic cohort we found strikingly different patterns of overweight and thinness among children of different ethnic groups at age 4–5 years, and a strong association between maternal BMI and their children’s weight status. More knowledge is needed on what characterizes and what promotes healthy growth patterns in multi-ethnic populations.
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Metadata
Title
Contrasting patterns of overweight and thinness among preschool children of different ethnic groups in Norway, and relations with maternal and early life factors
Authors
Ingun Toftemo
Anne Karen Jenum
Per Lagerløv
Pétur B. Júlίusson
Ragnhild Sørum Falk
Line Sletner
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5952-1

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