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Community and International Nutrition

Dietary Factors Are Not Associated with High Levels of Obesity in New Zealand Pacific Preschool Children¹

Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ and ^* Pacific Island Advisory Council, Dunedin, NZ

²To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: elaine.ferguson{at}stonebow.otago.ac.nz.

Pacific children living in New Zealand (NZ) are prone to excessive weight gain. In this study, we assessed the anthropometric status of 2- to 5-y-old Pacific children (n = 60) in relation to their macronutrient intakes. Measurements of height (n = 56), weight (n = 60), midarm circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness (n = 58), and 2-d weighed food records (n = 60) and demographic data were collected. Z-score results (mean ± SD) showed that these children were tall (0.61 ± 1.1) and heavy (1.67 ± 1.1) for their age, and had high arm-muscle-area-for-height (geometric mean, 2.05). Over 64 and 45% of children were classified as overweight (including obesity) and obese, respectively. The percentage of energy contributed by fat in their diets met recommendations. In contrast, the percentage of energy contributed by sugar was high. The macronutrient intakes of children classified as obese (n = 32) compared with non-obese (n = 24) did not differ; however, their adjusted energy intakes were higher [5.79 (1.4) vs. 4.97 (1.4) MJ/d; P = 0.01]. Overweight and obesity were very common among very young NZ Pacific children, although the dietary etiology was not elucidated. These results emphasize the urgent need for obesity prevention for NZ Pacific children that begins early in life to avoid a future public health crisis.

KEY WORDS: • Pacific children • anthropometric status • obesity • diet • New Zealand

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