title: Body mass index trajectories of Indigenous Australian children and relation to screen time, diet, and demographic factors.
abstract: Limited cross-sectional data indicate elevated overweight/obesity prevalence among Indigenous versus non-Indigenous Australian children. This study aims to quantify body mass index (BMI) trajectories among Indigenous Australian children aged 3-6 and 6-9 years and to identify factors associated with the development of overweight/obesity.
  
  
  
  Three-year BMI change was examined in up to 1,157 children in the national Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children. BMI trajectories among children with normal baseline BMI (n = 907/1,157) were quantified using growth curve models.
  
  
  
  Baseline prevalences of overweight/obesity were 12.1% and 25.4% among children of mean age 3 and 6 years, respectively. Of children with normal baseline BMI, 31.9% had overweight/obesity 3 years later; BMI increased more rapidly for younger versus older (difference: 0.59 kg/m2/year; 95% CI: 0.50-0.69), female versus male (difference: 0.15 kg/m2/year; 95% CI: 0.07-0.23), and Torres Strait Islander versus Aboriginal (difference: 0.36 kg/m2/year; 95% CI: 0.17-0.55) children. Results were consistent with less rapid rates of BMI increase for children with lower sugar-sweetened beverage (including fruit juice) and high-fat food consumption. Children's BMI was lower in more disadvantaged areas.
  
  
  
  Overweight/obesity is common, and increases rapidly, in early childhood. Interventions are required to reduce the overweight/obesity prevalence among Indigenous Australian children in the first 3 years of life and to slow the rapid overweight/obesity onset from age 3 to 9 years.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Katherine Ann
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Thurber
authors.affiliation: National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dobbins
authors.affiliation: Statistical Consulting Unit, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Neeman
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Banwell
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Banks
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001628:Beverages; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D057238:Growth Charts; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior
chemical_list: D019422:Dietary Sucrose