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Dietary intake, physical activity and TV viewing as mediators of the association of socioeconomic status with body composition: a cross-sectional analysis of Australian youth

International Journal of Obesity volume 31, pages 45–52 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Background:

There is emerging evidence of socioeconomic gradients in adiposity among Australian youth. Behavioral mechanisms for these trends are unexplained.

Methods:

In total, 194 South Australian children (97 boys, 11.48±0.43 years; 97 girls, 11.60±0.38 years) were assessed for pubertal status, stature, weight, skinfolds and waist girth. Socioeconomic status (SES) was represented by postcode of residence (Socioeconomic Index for Areas) and parent education. Children reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), TV viewing (TV) and dietary intake (daily energy intake as a ratio of predicted basal metabolic rate (DEI/BMR); and fat intake), using three × 24 h recall. Path analysis (partial least-squared method) was used to analyze the independence and interdependence of pathways linking SES, anthropometric variables and measured behaviors.

Results:

SES was negatively associated with waist girth and skinfolds in girls, and waist girth in boys. In models including behavioral variables, these SES gradients in girls were largely unattenuated; accordingly, physical activity and dietary intake were not confirmed as mediators of the association of SES and girls' adiposity. In boys there was evidence that the negative relationship between SES and waist girth was mediated by fat intake.

Conclusions:

The inverse relationships between SES and girls' adiposity were unexplained by the behavioral attributes measured in this study. Mediators of SES gradients in youth adiposity remain elusive, and may require intensive methodologies to explicate.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant from the Financial Markets Research Foundation for Children. We acknowledge the contributions made by schools, parents and the children who participated in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutritional Physiology Research Center, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    J Dollman & M Martin

  2. School of Education, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    K Ridley

  3. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    A Magarey

  4. School of Marketing, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    E Hemphill

Authors
  1. J Dollman
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  2. K Ridley
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  4. M Martin
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Correspondence to J Dollman.

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Dollman, J., Ridley, K., Magarey, A. et al. Dietary intake, physical activity and TV viewing as mediators of the association of socioeconomic status with body composition: a cross-sectional analysis of Australian youth. Int J Obes 31, 45–52 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803524

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