Combined Effects of Restaurant Eating, Television Viewing, and Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity on Obesity among Low-Income Texas 5th Grade School Children

Tiaranesha Jackson, The University of Texas School of Public Health

Abstract

Excessive television watching, restaurant eating, and minimum physical activity have all been identified as factors affecting healthy weight in children, but few studies have explored these obesogenic behaviors in low-income, mostly Hispanic populations. Furthermore, these behaviors may operate to cumulatively influence children’s obesity. We used linear and logistic regression to explore the relation between each obesogenic behavior and body mass index (BMI) in a population of low-income, mostly Hispanic fifth grade children participating in the Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (TX CORD) child survey. We used two different measures of BMI: z-score and weight status. We also investigated the cumulative effect of these three obesogenic behaviors on BMI. Television watching, restaurant eating, and physical activity were not independently associated with BMI z-score or weight status in this study population. Additionally, we found that the three behaviors did not combine to cumulatively affect BMI. Further work is needed to identify if the study results are unique to the population of Medicaid eligible, mostly Hispanic fifth grade children.

Subject Area

Nutrition|Public health|Behavioral Sciences

Recommended Citation

Jackson, Tiaranesha, "Combined Effects of Restaurant Eating, Television Viewing, and Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity on Obesity among Low-Income Texas 5th Grade School Children" (2017). Texas Medical Center Dissertations (via ProQuest). AAI10276552.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/dissertations/AAI10276552

Share

COinS