Association of obesity with physical activity, television programs and other forms of video viewing among children in Mexico City

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of physical activity, television progr am viewing and other forms of video viewing with the prevalence of obesity among school children. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: 712 children, 9-16 y old, from a low- and a middle-income town in the Mexico City area. MEASUREMENTS: Children completed a self administered questionnaire to asses s time spent in physical activity and television viewing, and diet. Height weight and triceps skinfolds were measured. The outcome variable was obesit y, and the covariates were hours of television programs and other video vie wing, physical activity, energy intake, percentage of energy from fat, town of location of school, age, gender and perception of mother's weight statu s. RESULTS: Among 461 children with complete information, 24% were classified as obese. Children reported an average of 4.1 +/- 2.2 h/d watching televisi on (2.4 +/- 1.5 h/d for TV programs and 1.7 +/- 1.5 h/d for video cassette recorder (VCR) or videogames), and 1.8 +/- 1.3 h/d in moderate and vigorous physical activities. Odds ratios (OR) of obesity were 12% higher for each hour of television program viewing per day (OR = 1.12, 95% confidence inter val (CI) 1.02,-1.22), and 10% lower for each hour of moderate/vigorous phys ical activity per day (OR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.83 - 0:98), controlling for age, gender, town and perception of mother's weight status. Children in the mid dle-income town had higher adjusted odds of obesity (OR = 2.58, 95% CI 1.47 - 4.54). CONCLUSION: Physical activity and television viewing, but not VCR/videogame s use, were related to obesity prevalence in Mexican children 9-16 y old.