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Child-care use and the association with body mass index and overweight in children from 7 months to 2 years of age

International Journal of Obesity volume 34, pages 1480–1486 (2010)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objectives:

Studies regarding the association of child-care use with body mass index (BMI), overweight or obesity development show contradictory results. This study examined the relationship between child-care use and BMI z-scores and overweight, as well as associates of child-care use in children up to 2 years old.

Methods:

Longitudinal data originated from the Dutch KOALA Birth Cohort Study. Questionnaires assessed child-care use at ages 7 months and 1 and 2 years (N=2396). Height and weight assessed at 1 and 2 years were used to calculate BMI z-scores. Overweight was defined as a BMI z-score of ⩾85th percentile. The influence of child-care use on weight development was tested using backward linear and logistic regression analyses. Outcomes were: (1) BMI z-score at 1 and 2 years; (2) change in BMI z-score between 1 and 2 years; (3) overweight vs non-overweight at 1 and 2 years; and (4) change from normal weight to overweight vs remaining normal weight between 1 and 2 years. The association between child-care use and parental background characteristics was tested using backward logistic regression analyses.

Results:

Child-care use (no/yes) at 1 and 2 years positively predicted BMI z-scores at age 2 years, as well as change in BMI z-score between 1 and 2 years. These associations were adjusted for various covariates (for example, parental working hours). Furthermore, child-care use significantly increased the odds of being overweight at age 1year. There were few differences in BMI or overweight between intensive (>16 h per week) and limited child-care use (⩽16 h). Child-care use was positively associated with various parental characteristics, including parental working hours and maternal educational level.

Conclusion:

The findings suggest a small influence of child-care use on weight development in very young children. The child-care setting could have an important role in preventive interventions against overweight and obesity development in young children.

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Acknowledgements

The KOALA Birth Cohort Study's conception and follow-up to the age of 2 years was financially supported by the Triodos Foundation, Royal Friesland Foods, University Hospital Maastricht and funds unrelated to commercial organizations (Iona Foundation, Phoenix Foundation, Foundation for the Advancement of Heilpedagogiek), all in The Netherlands. All research by JS Gubbels is financed by the NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, The Netherlands.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    J S Gubbels, S P J Kremers & N K de Vries

  2. Department of Biosciences, TNO Quality of Life, Zeist, The Netherlands

    A Stafleu

  3. Department of Epidemiology, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism and School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    P C Dagnelie & C Thijs

  4. Department of Statistics, TNO Quality of Life, Leiden, The Netherlands

    S van Buuren

  5. Department of Methodology and Statistics, FSW, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    S van Buuren

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  1. J S Gubbels
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  2. S P J Kremers
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  3. A Stafleu
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  4. P C Dagnelie
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  5. N K de Vries
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  6. S van Buuren
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  7. C Thijs
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Correspondence to J S Gubbels.

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Gubbels, J., Kremers, S., Stafleu, A. et al. Child-care use and the association with body mass index and overweight in children from 7 months to 2 years of age. Int J Obes 34, 1480–1486 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.100

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