Higher socioeconomic status is related to healthier levels of fatness and fitness already at 3 to 5 years of age: The PREFIT project |
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| Authors: | Ignacio Merino-De Haro Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez Pere A Borras Pedro J Benito Oscar Chiva-Bartoll |
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| Institution: | 1. PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health through physical activity” Research Group, Department of Physical and Sports Education, Faculty of Sports Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain;2. Physical activity and sport sciences research group, Schools for Health Europe Network Research Group, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain;3. LFE Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Science-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain;4. Department of Education and Specific Didactics, LIFE Research Group, University of Jaume I, Castellón, Spain |
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| Abstract: | This study aimed to analyse the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and fatness and fitness in preschoolers. 2,638 preschoolers (3–5 years old; 47.2% girls) participated. SES was estimated from the parental educational and occupational levels, and the marital status. Fatness was assessed by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Physical fitness components were assessed using the PREFIT battery. Preschoolers whose parents had higher educational levels had lower fatness (P < 0.05). BMI significantly differed across occupational levels of each parent (P < 0.05) and WHtR across paternal levels (P = 0.004). Musculoskeletal fitness was different across any SES factor (P < 0.05), except handgrip across paternal occupational levels (P ≥ 0.05). Preschoolers with high paternal occupation had higher speed/agility (P = 0.005), and those with high or low maternal education had higher VO2max (P = 0.046). Odds of being obese and having low musculoskeletal fitness was lower as SES was higher (P < 0.05). Those with married parents had higher cardiorespiratory fitness than single-parent ones (P = 0.010). School-based interventions should be aware of that children with low SES are at a higher risk of obesity and low fitness already in the first years of life. |
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| Keywords: | Body composition physical fitness preschoolers socioeconomic factors |
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