title: Diet quality as measured by the Diet Quality Index-International is associated with prospective changes in body fat among Canadian children.
abstract: To quantify the association of dietary quality with prospective changes in adiposity.
  
  
  
  Children participating in the QUALITY (QUebec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth) study underwent examination at baseline and at 2-year follow-up. Dietary quality was assessed by the Diet Quality Index-International (DQII) using three non-consecutive 24 h diet recalls at baseline. The DQII has four main categories: dietary adequacy, variety, moderation and overall balance. Fat mass index (FMI; [fat mass (kg)]/[height (m)]2), central FMI (CFMI; [trunk fat mass (kg)]/[height (m)]2), percentage body fat (%BF; [total fat mass (kg)]/[total mass (kg)]) and percentage central BF (%CBF; [trunk fat mass (kg)]/[total mass (kg)]) were assessed through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
  
  
  
  Children were selected from schools in the greater Montreal, Sherbrooke and Quebec City metropolitan areas between 2005 and 2008, Quebec, Canada.
  
  
  
  A total of 546 children aged 8-10 years, including 244 girls and 302 boys.
  
  
  
  Regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, energy intake, physical activity and Tanner stage revealed that every 10-unit improvement in overall DQII score was associated with lower gain in CFMI (β=-0·08; 95 % CI -0·17, -0·003) and %BF (β=-0·55; 95 % CI -1·08, -0·02). Each unit improvement in dietary adequacy score was associated with lower gain in FMI (β=-0·05; 95 % CI -0·08, -0·008), CFMI (β=-0·03; 95 % CI -0·05, -0·007), %BF (β=-0·15; 95 % CI -0·28, -0·03) and %CBF (β=-0·09; 95 % CI -0·15, -0·02).
  
  
  
  Promotion of dietary quality and adequacy may reduce weight gain in childhood and prevent chronic diseases later in life.
authors.affiliation: 1School of Public Health,University of Alberta,Edmonton,3-268 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy,Edmonton,Alberta,Canada,T6G 1C9.
authors.forename: Solmaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Setayeshgar
authors.affiliation: 1School of Public Health,University of Alberta,Edmonton,3-268 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy,Edmonton,Alberta,Canada,T6G 1C9.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maximova
authors.affiliation: 1School of Public Health,University of Alberta,Edmonton,3-268 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy,Edmonton,Alberta,Canada,T6G 1C9.
authors.forename: John Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ekwaru
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Epidemiology,Biostatistics and Occupational Health,McGill University,Montréal,Québec,Canada.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gray-Donald
authors.affiliation: 3Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine Research Centre,University of Montréal,Montréal,Québec,Canada.
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Epidemiology,Biostatistics and Occupational Health,McGill University,Montréal,Québec,Canada.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paradis
authors.affiliation: 6Division of Kinesiology (PEPS),Laval University,Québec City,Québec,Canada.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.affiliation: 1School of Public Health,University of Alberta,Edmonton,3-268 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy,Edmonton,Alberta,Canada,T6G 1C9.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Veugelers
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D050154:Adiposity; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards*; D004034:Diet Surveys / Q000379:methods; D000072001:Diet, Healthy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011792:Quebec; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: Adiposity; Children; Diet Quality Index–International; Dietary quality; Longitudinal study; Public health