Lack of association between dietary fibres intake and childhood obesity: an epidemiological study among preadolescents in Greece

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether dietary fibres intake is associated with childhood obesity. From 2014 to 2016, a sample of 1728 Greek boys and girls students, 10–12 years and their parents were enrolled in the study. Dietary fibres intake was assessed through food questionnaires and child’s body mass status was defined according to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF)’s criteria. Prevalence of combined overweight/obesity was 26.7%, with boys having significantly higher prevalence than girls (31.5 versus 24.7%, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis, after various adjustments were made, revealed no association between dietary fibres intake and obesity/overweight (Odds Ratio = 0.76; 95% CI 0.48, 1.19). The lack of an association between dietary fibres intake and overweight/obesity status among pre-adolescents could be attributed to various reasons such as, methodological issues reflecting the study’s design, the measurement of exposure or due to true absence of a relationship. Nevertheless, fibres consumption should not be prevented, but, promoted under the context of a balanced diet, because of their numerous pleiotropic health effects.

Keywords:

• Dietary fibres
• overweight
• obesity
• children
• diet

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the students and parents who took part in the research. Also, they would like to thank all the teachers and school principals who contributed to the sampling process and data collection. Moreover, the authors would like to acknowledge and thank the field investigators of the study: Marialena Kordoni, Anna Velentza, Magdalini Mesimeri, Ilias Kokoris, Athina Fregoglou, Vasiliki Maragou, Marina Mitrogiorgou, Rania Baroucha, Dimitra Kroustalli for their support and assistance with the data collection.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.