A Median Analysis of Factors Influencing Body Fatness in Urban School-Age Children in Cameroon

Background. Childhood overweight/obesity is a fast growing public health problem in developing countries. The adverse health consequences of obesity have been attributed to higher body fat levels and this has drawn overwhelming attention towards more accurate assessment of body fat. The goal of this study is to evaluate the relationships between selected behavioral factors and percentage body fat (%BF) estimated using bioelectrical impedance analysis in school-age children. Methods. A cross-sectional analysis was carried out in randomly selected 6- to 11-year-old children (507 boys and 501 girls). Percentage body fat was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. The behavioral factors were reported by parents using a structured questionnaire. Multiple quantile regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the selected behavioral factors and %BF. Results. With quantile regression, the daily consumption of fruits and vegetables, daily breakfast consumption, and high physical activity (>4–7 times/week) were significantly (p3 times a day) (p3–6 hours/day) (p<0.001), and motorization to school (p