title: Associations between diet quality and physical activity measures among a southern Ontario regional sample of grade 6 students.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine diet quality and physical activity behaviours of grade 6 students by sex and body weight status, and to determine the associations between diet quality and physical activity behaviours. The Web-based Food Behaviour Questionnaire, which included a 24-h diet recall and the modified Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C), was administered to a cross-section of schools (n = 405 students from 15 schools). Measured height and weight were used to calculate body mass index and weight status (Cole et al. 2000). A Canadian version of the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-C) was used to describe overall diet quality. The mean HEI-C was 69.6 (13.2) with the majority (72%) falling into the needs improvement category. The overall mean physical activity score was 3.7 out of a maximum of 5, with obese subjects being less active compared with normal weight and overweight (p < 0.001). Ordinal logistic regression analysis (of HEI-C vs. all measures of the PAQ-C, sex, and weight status) revealed that HEI-C ratings were likely to be higher in students that walked to and from school 5 days per week (vs. 0 days per week; odds ratio 3.18, p = 0.010); and were active 1 evening per week (vs. none; odds ratio 3.48, p = 0.039). The positive association between diet quality and some aspects of physical activity suggests possible clustering of health behaviours. Future research should test the potential benefits of promoting 1 health behaviour (e.g., healthy eating) with another (e.g., physical activity).
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada. woodruff@uwindsor.ca
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Woodruff
authors.forename: Rhona M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hanning
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors