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The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of obesity and/or undernutrition and evaluate diet and activity patterns among schoolchildren from an ethnically diverse low income urban population. A cross-sectional survey of 498 children aged 9-12 y from 24 schools in low income multiethnic neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada was undertaken. Height, weight, dietary intake, physical activity record, and lifestyle and demographic characteristics were measured. There was no evidence of undernutrition because linear growth was appropriate for age, but 39.4% of children were overweight (>85th percentile NHANES II). Dietary fat intake was higher in children from single-parent families (P < 0.001) and those with mothers born in Canada. Intake of vitamins A, C, iron and folate was directly related to income sufficiency. Children who did more physical activity had significantly higher intakes of energy, calcium, iron, zinc and fiber but were not heavier. Dietary intake was systematically underreported among overweight children, i.e., their reported intakes did not meet calculated energy needs. This underreporting makes it difficult to attribute the accumulated energy imbalance to either energy intake or expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Desynchrony between eating and sleeping patterns and poor sleep quality have been associated with obesity and metabolic abnormalities. This study examined the metabolic health correlates of night eating syndrome in adults enrolled in the QUALITY cohort study. Methods: Night eating symptoms were assessed in 310 women (mean age=40.3±5.1years, mean BMI=28.8±6.2kg/m2) and 305 men (mean age=42.5±5.9years, mean BMI=30.3±5.0kg/m2). Anthropometric measures, fasting blood samples and blood pressure were used to diagnose metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) diagnosis was self-report. Correlational and case/control comparisons assessed night eating symptoms in persons with and without MetS and T2D. Results: Night eating questionnaire (NEQ) scores were positively correlated with BMI. When controlling for BMI, NEQ scores were significantly negatively correlated with blood pressure in women and positively correlated with waist circumference and triglycerides in men. MetS diagnosis was associated with morning anorexia in both women and men and urges to eat at night in women only. T2D was associated with a depressed mood in women and with insomnia in men. Conclusion: Symptoms of night eating syndrome are associated with higher BMI and poor metabolic health. Future research is needed to determine if night eating syndrome per se is a unique causal pathway in the development of obesity and metabolic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: Findings from prospective studies on associations between physical activity and adiposity among youth are inconsistent. Our aim was to describe physical activity trajectories during secondary school and examine the association with change in adiposity in youth. Methods: Physical activity was measured in 20 survey cycles from 1999 to 2005; anthropometrics were measured in survey cycles 1, 12, and 19. Individual growth curves modeling moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) were estimated. Estimates of initial level and rate of decline in MVPA and VPA bouts per week were included as potential predictors of body fat% and body mass index using age- and sex-specific linear regression. Results: Complete data were available for 840 and 760 adolescents aged 12–13 years at baseline, followed from survey cycles 1–12 and 12–19, respectively. Among girls, yearly declines of one MVPA and one VPA bout per week during earlier adolescence were associated with increases of 0.19 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.02–0.36) and 0.47 (95% CI, 0.015–0.92) units of body fat%, respectively. In boys, a yearly decline of one MVPA bout per week was associated with an increase of 0.38 (95% CI, 0.05–0.70) units of body fat% during later adolescence. Conclusions: Obesity prevention programs should include strategies to prevent declines in physical activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]