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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #179754
Title: COVARIABILITY IN DIET AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN GIRLS.

Author
item Thompson, Deborah
item JAGO, RUSSELL - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item Baranowski, Thomas
item WATSON, KATHY - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item Zakeri, Issa
item Cullen, Karen
item STORY, MARY - UNIV OF MINNESOTA
item SHERWOOD, NANCY - HEALTHPARTNERS RES FOUND
item PRUITT, LESLIE - STANFORD UNIV SCHL OF MED
item MATHESON, DONNA - STANFORD UNIV SCHL OF MED

Submitted to: Obesity Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2004
Publication Date: 9/1/2004
Citation: Thompson, D.I., Jago, R., Baranowski, T., Watson, K., Zakeri, I., Cullen, K., Story, M., Sherwood, N.E., Pruitt, L.A., Matheson, D.M. 2004. Covariability in diet and physical activity in African-American girls. Obesity Research. 12(suppl):46S-54S.

Interpretive Summary: The purpose of this paper was to look at the relationships between diet, physical activity, and BMI among 8-10 year old African American girls. We found that as the girls ate more calories from carbohydrates, they ate less protein and fat. We also found that as they ate more calories from fruit/juice, they ate fewer calories from fat. For physical activity, girls who engaged in more moderate to vigorous physical activity spent less time being sedentary. No relationships were found between diet, physical activity, and BMI, however.

Technical Abstract: Our goal was to examine 12-week covariability in diet and physical activity changes among 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls and if these changes predicted percent change in BMI. Covariability among percent changes [(post - pre)/pre x 100] in nutrients, food groups, and physical activity was assessed among 127 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls. Pearson correlation and hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed. Percent change in percentage kilocalories from carbohydrate was negatively correlated with percent change in both percentage kilocalories from fat (r = -0.85; p < or = 0.01) and protein (r = -0.51; p < or = 0.01). No statistically significant relationships were observed in percent changes among food group variables. Negative relationships were observed between percent changes in fruit/100% juice and percentage kilocalories from fat (r = -0.20; p < or = 0.05) and between percent changes in minutes of moderate-to-vigorous and sedentary activity (r = -0.60; p < or = 0.01). No significant associations were observed between percent change in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and diet variables or percent change in BMI or waist circumference and percent change in diet or physical activity. No relationships were observed between percent changes in physical activity and dietary variables. Percent change in diet and/or physical activity did not predict percent change in BMI. This may have been due to the small sample size, the small changes in diet or physical activity, the short duration of the intervention, or because data from different interventions were combined. Understanding these relationships could have significant implications for addressing the obesity epidemic.