Associations of dietary patterns and obesity development in school‐aged children: results from the CHILD Cohort Study
Authors' conclusion
Preschool dietary patterns are associated with sex-biased obesity development, highlighting the need for further research to explore these differences and inform targeted obesity prevention strategies during this important developmental period.
Study context
- Population
- Canadian preschoolers in the CHILD Cohort Study; diet assessed at age 3 years by 112-item food frequency questionnaire
- Participants
- 2,219 participants
- Exposure
- Data-driven dietary patterns at age 3 years (Prudent, Western-like, Refined Grain-Snack) and obesity outcomes at age 5 years, by sex
- Outcome
- BMI and waist circumference z scores and obesity status (BMI z score > 2)
- Follow-up
- Age 5 years
Methodological detailspregnancy cohort, principal components analysis, multivariable-adjusted regression
- Pregnancy cohort
- Principal components analysis
- Multivariable-adjusted regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Females adhering to Refined Grain-Snack pattern: waist circumference z score β
0.14
95% CI 0.03–0.25
Females adhering to Refined Grain-Snack pattern: odds of obesity
2.74-fold
95% CI 1.29–5.85
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Obesity prevalence · age 5 years
- Children living with obesity
- 4.7%
- Male individuals
- 3.1%
- Female individuals
- 1.6%
Original publication
Associations of dietary patterns and obesity development in school‐aged children: results from the CHILD Cohort Study. Obesity (Silver Spring). Published 18 June 2025. doi:10.
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