Associations of body mass index and waist circumference with: energy intake and percentage energy from macronutrients, in a cohort of Australian children.

This is the final version of the article. Available from BioMed Central via the DOI in this record.BACKGROUND: It is evident from previous research that the role of dietary composition in relation to the development of childhood obesity remains inconclusive. Several studies investigating the relationship between body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and/or skin fold measurements with energy intake have suggested that the macronutrient composition of the diet (protein, carbohydrate, fat) may play an important contributing role to obesity in childhood as it does in adults. This study investigated the possible relationship between BMI and WC with energy intake and percentage energy intake from macronutrients in Australian children and adolescents. METHODS: Height, weight and WC measurements, along with 24 h food and drink records (FDR) intake data were collected from 2460 boys and girls aged 5-17 years living in the state of Queensland, Australia. RESULTS: Statistically significant, yet weak correlations between BMI z-score and WC with total energy intake were observed in grades 1, 5 and 10, with only 55% of subjects having a physiologically plausible 24 hr FDR. Using Pearson correlations to examine the relationship between BMI and WC with energy intake and percentage macronutrient intake, no significant correlations were observed between BMI z-score or WC and percentage energy intake from protein, carbohydrate or fat. One way ANOVAs showed that although those with a higher BMI z-score or WC consumed significantly more energy than their lean counterparts. CONCLUSION: No evidence of an association between percentage macronutrient intake and BMI or WC was found. Evidently, more robust longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate the relationship linking obesity and dietary intake.Queensland Health commissioned and funded the Healthy Kids Queensland Survey. A Steering Committee including representation from Queensland Health, Education Queensland, Independent Schools Queensland, the Queensland Catholic Education Commission and the Queensland Department of Local Government Sport and Recreation provided advice, guidance and support regarding the survey. The authors would like to acknowledge the research officers that collected the data on behalf of the Healthy Kids Queensland research team and the families and schools who kindly agreed to participate in the State survey