Childhood obesity and food intake.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of obesity among children is growing in China at present. Childhood obesity reflects complex interactions of genetic, environmental, social and behavioral factors. Foods, nutritional components, and food intake patterns may be associated with the increasing obesity rate in children.


METHODS
Articles about the relationship between childhood obesity and food intake were collected from the databases including Web of Knowledge, PubMed, Elsevier and Google Scholar.


RESULTS
Foods and nutritional components such as calcium, dietary fiber are inversely related to obesity, whereas others such as vitamin B and sugar-sweeten beverages play a positive role in obesity development. The differences in food intake pattern also influence the risk of obesity.


CONCLUSIONS
Food intake is an important factor influencing childhood obesity. One strategy to prevent childhood obesity is to take foods of moderate amount in a proper pattern.
College of Light Industry and Food Sciences, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
Jia-Yi
JY
Huang
Sui-Jian
SJ
Qi
D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004435:Eating; D006801:Humans; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors