The central theme of this new YINI symposium, organized on the 25 October, from 5:00 to 6:30 pm, is “Yogurt as a vehicle of healthy eating in children”. Discover below the abstract of Luis Moreno.
Foods, dietary patterns and obesity development in children
Luis A. MORENO – GENUD research group, Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón) y Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Zaragoza, Spain
Obesity is a highly prevalent condition in children from both developed and developing countries and this is specially the case in the Mediterranean area.
Within the different food groups, dairy products, especially yogurt, have been identified to be associated with lower body mass index, waist circumference and other obesity indicators in consumers as compared with non-consuming children and adolescents.
Another potential risk factor for childhood obesity development is free sugars. In this regard, the most important contributor to its intake is represented by sweetened beverages, including carbonated/soft drinks + fruit and vegetable juices.
As dietary pattern, the Mediterranean diet and a pattern characterized by high intake of vegetables and wholemeal cereals are protective for the development of obesity in European children. Concerning dietary habits, skipping breakfast has been identified as a risk factor for obesity development both in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Having dinner with the family is also a protective factor for obesity in children and adolescents.
As one of the main conclusions, children should eat at least four meals, including breakfast, every day.