title: A cross-sectional study to examine the association between dietary patterns and risk of overweight and obesity in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents aged 10-12 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the dietary patterns and examine the associations of these patterns with risk of overweight and obesity in Chinese adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline data collected between November 2003 and October 2004 from 171 boys and 180 girls aged 10-12 years who participated in the Hong Kong Adolescent Bone Health Cohort Study were analyzed. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and dietary pattern calculated using factor analysis. Data on demographic characteristics, weight, height, and Tanner stage were collected. Overweight and obesity were defined using The International Obesity Task Force cutoff values. Cardiovascular fitness expressed as peak oxygen consumption was predicted using the postexercise heart rate by the 3-minute step test and was used as an objective measure of physical activity. Association between dietary patterns and risk of overweight and obesity was examined using multivariate logistic regression with adjustment for demographics, puberty, and physical activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (SD) age of the study sample was 11.2 (0.6) years and there were 57 (16.2%) participants who were overweight/obese. Three dietary patterns were identified, namely, vegetables-fruits, snacks-beverages, and animal foods, fats, and condiments dominated. There was no significant linear association between each dietary pattern and the risk of overweight and obesity in this sample. Instead, the risk of overweight and obesity in this sample was positively associated with pubertal stage and inversely associated with physical activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pubertal stage and physical activity, but not dietary patterns, were important factors contributing to the risk of overweight and obesity in this population.
authors: a Department of Medicine and Therapeutics , The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Shatin , HONG KONG.
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Chan
authors: Dicken
authors: D
authors: Chan
authors: Winny
authors: W
authors: Lau
authors: Dominic
authors: D
authors: Lo
authors: Liz
authors: L
authors: Li
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Woo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Chinese; dietary patterns; factor analysis; obesity