Parent’s Adiposity, Better Predicts Their Child’s Adiposity than Socio-economic Status in a Sample of 2689 Children Aged 8 to 15 Year in Urban Area in Cameroon: A Pilot Study

Background: Cameroon, as many Sub-Saharan African countries, is undergoing epidemiological transition. Parents as well as well their children are getting overweight and obese, mainly in large cities.

Aims: This was a pilot study to identify the relationship between parents, environment and children body size in urban Cameroon.

Study Design: This was a cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: In year 2010, between February and May. 25 selected schools in urban areas.

Methods: Over three thousand and three hundred school age children were selected during investigations, including about 51.8% girls. The questionnaire used was set as follows (i) identification, (ii) collection of parent’s information as ethnicity (region of origin), education, occupation, income and (iii) detailed information on children and anthropometrics. Body sizes were defined using the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). Finally, 2689 children (52.2% Girls) were pooled for further analysis.

Results: Positive correlation was observed between child adiposity and pocket money; as with BMI for girls (r=0.342, P<0.001) and boys (r=0.225, P<0.001). Boys adiposity was correlated to family size (BMI, r=0.181, P<0.05), with gestational age at birth (waist, r=0.214, P<0.05) and birth weight (waist, r=0.293, P<0.01). Girl’s adiposity did not show such associations. Mothers’ adiposity was more correlated to girl’s adiposity (waist, r=0.184, P<0.01 and BMI, r=0.183, P<0.01) as compared to boys. While no significant relationship was observed between parents’ education level, occupation, and income. Considering ethnicity, parents’ of west region were up to 3.2 times more at risk of having heavy children (all P=0.01).

Conclusions: In Cameroon urban area, parent’s ethnicity and body size are better predictors of their child’s adiposity. This pilot study highlight that further investigations are required to evaluate the contribution of each factor.