Childhood obesity's relationship to time spent in sedentary behavior

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate various types of sedentary behavior children participate in and to look for an association to childhood obesity. Methods: Questionnaires were used to gather data on physical and sedentary activity, dietary intake, demographics, and anthropometrics of 9- to 12-year-old military dependents and their parents. Results: Using body mass index (BMI), 39.8% of children were obese. A significant relationship was found between childhood obesity and computer usage, television watching, total hours in sedentary behavior, and maternal BMI. An indirect significant relationship with childhood obesity was also shown if a parent was home when the child got home from school and if a father participated in exercise with their child. Caloric intake, total time in physical activity, demographic variables, and father's BMI showed no significant relationship with children's BMI. Conclusion: Interventions should be designed targeting total time spent on the computer, total time watching television, and maternal obesity in child obesity programs.