Effects of underweight, overweight, and obesity on the body growth of preschoolers
2024

Effects of Weight on Preschoolers' Growth

Sample size: 729 publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Chen Jiebo, Luo Dongmei, Fan Xue

Primary Institution: Nantong University

Hypothesis

This study aimed to investigate the impact of underweight, overweight, and obesity on the growth and development of preschoolers by comparing body shape characteristics across different weight statuses.

Conclusion

Overweight and obese preschoolers experienced faster body growth, while underweight preschoolers often showed delayed growth.

Supporting Evidence

  • Obese preschoolers displayed significantly larger measurements in various body shape parameters compared to normal-weight peers.
  • Underweight preschoolers showed lagging development in body shape measurements.
  • Statistical analysis indicated no significant interaction effect of gender and age on BMI.

Takeaway

This study found that kids who are overweight or obese grow faster than those who are underweight, who may not grow as well.

Methodology

The study assessed 729 preschoolers for 11 different body shape measurements and used ANOVA to analyze BMI variations.

Limitations

The study included a limited range of body shape measurements and did not define optimal cut-off values for indicators of weight status.

Participant Demographics

Participants were preschoolers aged 4 to 6 years, with 53.8% being boys.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3389/fpubh.2024.1454436

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