[Environmental Effect In Utero for Adult Disease]

Birth weight and nutritional status in school-age children from Boane city, Mozambique

BACKGROUND

Birth weight is considered an important marker of inadequate maternal nutrition, and it is a critical indicator of the newborn's health and development.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the influence of low birth weight (LBW) on body composition in 7-10-year-old school children from Boane City-Mozambique.

METHODS

A total of 220 children (female = 122 and male = 98) were divided into two groups according to their birth weight (LBW, n = 41; and normal birth weight, NBW, n = 179). Anthropometric indicators of nutritional status were analyzed by the indices weight-for-age, height-for-age, BMI-for-age, and weight-for-height.

RESULTS

LBW children showed reduced skinfolds, and weight-for-height when compared to NBW children. Birth weight was positively associated with all anthropometric variables, except for BMI, which was not associated with any other variable. The r2 value ranged from .09 (weight-for-age) to .72 (height-for-age). For body composition variables, older children had higher fat mass (β = .26; 95% CI = 0.05-0.48) and fat-free mass (β = 1.10; 95% CI = 0.71-1.48), and boys had lower fat percentage (β = -3.49; 95% CI = -4.35 to -2.65) and fat mass (β = -.92; 95% CI = -1.31 to -0.55) than girls. Birth weight was also positively associated with fat-free mass.

CONCLUSION

LBW seems to influence some growth indicators of children living in Boane, however, current environmental factors seem to weaken this association. Our results suggest that public policies involving healthy nutrition and physical activity can reverse the effects of low weight in children from Boane.

Time-of-Day of Energy Intake Is Associated with Body Fat Percentage in Japanese Female University Rhythmic Gymnasts and Non-Athlete Students

This study investigated whether body fat percentage (BF%) in Japanese female university rhythmic gymnasts (RG) and non-athletes (control) was associated with the time-of-day of energy intake. A total of 57 females (RG group, n=34; control group, n=23) completed 24-h dietary recall surveys on 3 non-consecutive days. BF% was measured using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer after overnight fasting. Energy intake was stratified by time-of-day: morning (3:00 to 11:00), midday (11:00 to 17:00), evening (17:00 to 21:00), and nighttime (21:00 to 3:00). There was no significant difference between the groups in total energy intake, body weight, or body mass index. The RG group had significantly higher energy expenditure, a larger negative energy balance and lower BF% than the control group. The energy intake ratios (ER%) in the evening and at nighttime in the RG group were significantly lower and higher than in the control group, respectively. Total energy intake and energy balance did not show any significant association with BF% in either group. Multivariate linear regression with substitution model indicated that a substitution of ER% in the morning for ER% at nighttime was negatively associated with BF% after adjusting for confounding factors (β=-0.240; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.455, -0.025) in the control group. In the RG group, a substitution of ER% in the evening for ER% at nighttime was negatively associated with BF% (β=-0.117; 95%CI: -0.214, -0.019). These results suggest that the timing of energy intake throughout the day is associated with BF% in Japanese university RG and non-athlete female students.