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  • Population Study Article
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Food consumption patterns related to excess weight and obesity in Spanish preschoolers

Pediatric Research volume 94, pages 385–391 (2023)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

The aims of this study were (1) to identify the different food consumption patterns among Spanish preschoolers and (2) to examine the association between having a different food consumption pattern and the odds of having excess weight (i.e., overweight or obesity) or obesity among this population.

Methods

This was a nationwide cross-sectional study with data from the Spanish National Health Survey−2017. All preschoolers (aged 3−5 years) with complete information on all the variables analyzed were selected. The frequency of consumption of the fourteen food groups was evaluated by a food frequency questionnaire. Excess weight/obesity were computed following the World Health Organization criteria. A hierarchical cluster analysis using Ward’s method (i.e., based on squared Euclidean distances) and k-means were performed including all food group consumption. A total sample of 663 was included in the cluster analysis.

Results

Three different clusters were established. Compared to the healthiest food consumption pattern (Cluster 1), higher odds of excess weight (OR = 1.51; CI: 95%, 1.02–2.25) and obesity (OR = 1.59; CI: 95%, 1.01–2.51) were found for participants with the unhealthiest food consumption pattern (Cluster 3).

Conclusion

Having a food consumption pattern considered unhealthy (i.e., low intake of vegetables/fruits, high consumption of confectionery products, sugar-sweetened beverages, fast-food, and snacks) was associated with presenting excess weight/obesity among Spanish preschoolers.

Impact

  • No studies have examined the specific food consumption patterns associated with excess weight or obesity among Spanish preschoolers.

  • The unhealthiest food consumption pattern was characterized by a food consumption pattern that included a lower intake of vegetables and fruits and a higher consumption of confectionery products, sugar-sweetened beverages, fast-food, and snacks.

  • Having a food consumption pattern considered unhealthy was associated with a higher prevalence of excess weight and obesity in comparison with other healthier food consumption patterns.

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Fig. 1: Standardized scores of different food consumption groups among Spanish preschoolers with different established food consumption patterns.
Fig. 2: Association between having a different food consumption pattern and odds of presenting excess weight or obesity in Spanish preschoolers.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare (Spain) repository, https://www.sanidad.gob.es/estadisticas/microdatos.do.

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Acknowledgements

J.F.L.-G is a Margarita Salas Fellow (Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha—2021-MS-20563).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health and Social Research Center, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain

    José Francisco López-Gil

  2. Centre for Health, Performance and Wellbeing, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK

    Lee Smith

  3. Departamento de Cardiología, Hospital General Universitario Santa Lucía, Cartagena, Spain

    José Abellán-Huerta

  4. Cátedra de Riesgo Cardiovascular, Universidad Católica de Murcia, Murcia, Spain

    José Abellán-Alemán

  5. Fundación para el Fomento de la Salud, Madrid, Spain

    Josefa María Panisello Royo

  6. Escuela de Fisioterapia, Universidad de las Américas, Quito, 170504, Ecuador

    Héctor Gutiérrez-Espinoza

  7. Department of Physical Medicine and Nursing, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain

    Rubén López-Bueno

  8. Departamento de Ciencias Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain

    Pedro J. Tárraga-López

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Contributions

Conceptualization, methodology, software, validation, analysis, data curation, writing—original draft preparation: J.F.L.-G., supervision: J.F.L.-G., P.J.T.-L., writing—review and editing: L.E., J.A.-H., J.A.-A., J.M.P.R., H.G.-E., R.L.-B., and P.J.T.-L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Héctor Gutiérrez-Espinoza.

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López-Gil, J.F., Smith, L., Abellán-Huerta, J. et al. Food consumption patterns related to excess weight and obesity in Spanish preschoolers. Pediatr Res 94, 385–391 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-022-02442-9

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