DIET COMPOSITION AND BODY-MASS INDEX IN PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN

Objective: To investigate the relationship between diet composition an d body mass index (BMI) in pre-school children. Design: Reanalysis of data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of children aged 1.5- 4.5 y. Height and weight of children were used to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) and BMI standard deviation scores. Dietary intake data wer e used to calculate percentage of total energy intake derived from fat , carbohydrate and protein These data were then divided into quintiles . The data were then analysed in order to assess if there was any rela tionship between the diet composition and BMI. Setting: Community base d project throughout Great Britain. Subjects: 1444 children aged 1.5-4 .5 y. Measurements: Diet composition was assessed in terms of percenta ge energy derived from fat, protein and carbohydrate following a four day weighed intake carried out by the parents or carers of the child B ody size was assessed by measuring BMI and calculating the standard de viation score relative to UK reference data. Results: There were no tr ends apparent using ANOVA and multiple regression that indicated that diet composition was related to body size. Conclusions: In a large coh ort of pre-school children we are unable to confirm the recent finding s in much smaller samples that diet composition affects body size. Oth er factors such as energy intake per se and levels of habitual physica l activity might have a more important bearing on BMI in pre-school ch ildren.