Obesity is a serious health-related disorder. It has been linked as an important factor for risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and serum cholesterol levels. Further, obesity is very resistant to treatment and often begins in childhood and tracks over time. While behavioral approaches to prevention of obesity in children is an obvious goal, the literature to date suggests that adequate treatment strategies based on informed empirical data are premature. Studies are needed both to pinpoint behavioral targets for intervention and to identify psychosocial risk factors so that obesity can be prevented safely, economically, and efficiently in children. The present study is conceptualized as a prospective combined within-subjects between subjects design. One hundred fifty children ages 3-4 will be identified as either at low risk (i.e., neither parent overweight), moderate risk (i.e., one parent overweight), or high risk (i.e., both parents overweight) for development of cardiovascular risk factors. We will carefully assess both the parents' and the child's food intake, type of food ingested, physical activity, and parent-child interactions related to food intake and physical activity. Anthropomorphic (i.e., parent/child height, weight, skinfold measures) and cardiovascular (i.e., blood pressure, heart rate) will also be collected at each observation. Subjects will be reassessed every four months for a four-year period (n=12 total observations) to assess the early natural history of cardiovascular risk factors in childhood. The outcomes of the present study will have important implications for future research. That is, the goal of this study is to pinpoint empirically based intervention targets in children so that obesity can be prevented safely and economically.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL036553-04
Application #
3351623
Study Section
(SRC)
Project Start
1986-01-01
Project End
1990-12-31
Budget Start
1989-01-01
Budget End
1989-12-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1989
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Memphis
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Memphis
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
38152
Eck, L H; Klesges, L M; Klesges, R C (1996) Precision and estimated accuracy of two short-term food frequency questionnaires compared with recalls and records. J Clin Epidemiol 49:1195-200
Klesges, R C; Klesges, L M; Eck, L H et al. (1995) A longitudinal analysis of accelerated weight gain in preschool children. Pediatrics 95:126-30
Eck, L H; Ray, J W; Klesges, R C et al. (1994) Physicians' diagnosis of obesity status in NHANES II. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 18:704-8
Klesges, R C; Isbell, T R; Klesges, L M (1992) Relationship between dietary restraint, energy intake, physical activity, and body weight: a prospective analysis. J Abnorm Psychol 101:668-74
Eck, L H; Hackett-Renner, C; Klesges, L M (1992) Impact of diabetic status, dietary intake, physical activity, and smoking status on body mass index in NHANES II. Am J Clin Nutr 56:329-33
Klesges, R C; Klem, M L; Klesges, L M (1992) The relationship between changes in body weight and changes in psychosocial functioning. Appetite 19:145-53
Eck, L H; Hackett-Renner, C (1992) Calcium intake in youth: sex, age, and racial differences in NHANES II. Prev Med 21:473-82
Eck, L H; Klesges, R C; Hanson, C L et al. (1992) Children at familial risk for obesity: an examination of dietary intake, physical activity and weight status. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 16:71-8
Wilson, D K; Klesges, L M; Klesges, R C et al. (1992) A prospective study of familial aggregation of blood pressure in young children. J Clin Epidemiol 45:959-69
Klesges, R C; Klesges, L M; Haddock, C K et al. (1992) A longitudinal analysis of the impact of dietary intake and physical activity on weight change in adults. Am J Clin Nutr 55:818-22

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