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Comparison of two methods for identifying dietary patterns associated with obesity in preschool children: the GENESIS study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 64, pages 1407–1414 (2010)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

The aim of this work was to identify dietary patterns based on reduced rank regression (RRR) and principal component analysis (PCA) and to evaluate the association of these patterns with the prevalence of childhood obesity.

Subjects/Methods:

A sample of 2317 toddlers and preschoolers from Greece (Growth, Exercise and Nutrition Epidemiological Study In preSchoolers) was used. In total, 12 food groups were used as predictors of RRR and PCA. Nutrients such as total fat, simple carbohydrate and fiber intake were used as response variables to apply RRR.

Results:

One factor/pattern was retained from RRR and PCA in order to ensure the comparability of the methods. The pattern derived from PCA was mainly characterized by consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish and seafood, grains and oils. This pattern explained 12.5% of the total variation in food groups. On the other hand, the pattern extracted from RRR was mainly characterized by reduced consumption of fruits, vegetables and legumes, and by increased consumption of sweets and red meat. The pattern derived from RRR explained 8.2% of the total variation in food groups. Simple and multiple logistic regression revealed that the pattern extracted from RRR is significantly associated with the prevalence of childhood obesity (OR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.00–1.28 for each unit increase of dietary pattern) as opposed to the pattern derived from PCA.

Conclusions:

The preferable technique to derive dietary patterns related to childhood obesity seems to be RRR compared with PCA.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Vivian Detopoulou, Anastasia Anastasiadou, Christine Kortsalioudaki, Margarita Bartsota, Thodoris Liarigkovinos, Elina Dimitropoulou, Nikoleta Vidra, Theodoros Athanasoulis, Pari Christofidou, Lilia Charila, Sofia Tzitzirika and Christos Vassilopoulos for their contribution to the completion of the study. The GENESIS study was supported by a Research Grant from Friesland Foods Hellas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University of Athens, Athens, Kallithea, Greece

    Y Manios, G Kourlaba, E Grammatikaki, O Androutsos & E Ioannou

  2. First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University, Ag. Sophia Children Hospital, Thivon & Levadias, Athens, Greece

    E Roma-Giannikou

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  1. Y Manios
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Correspondence to Y Manios.

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Competing interests

MY works as a part-time scientific consultant for Friesland Foods Hellas. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest. The study sponsor had no interference in the study design, data collection or writing of the manuscript.

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Manios, Y., Kourlaba, G., Grammatikaki, E. et al. Comparison of two methods for identifying dietary patterns associated with obesity in preschool children: the GENESIS study. Eur J Clin Nutr 64, 1407–1414 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2010.168

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