Seasonal Variability in Weight Gain Among American Indian, Black, White, and Hispanic Children: A 3.5-Year Study

• Published in: American journal of preventive medicine 2021-05, Vol.60 (5), p.658-665
• Main Authors: Lane, Taylor S., Sonderegger, Derek L., Holeva-Eklund, Whitney M., Brazendale, Keith, Behrens, Timothy K., Howdeshell, Hiliary, Walka, Sherry, Cook, Jon R., de Heer, Hendrik D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: African Americans; American Indians; American Indians or Alaska Natives; Body Mass Index; Child; Childhood obesity; Ethnicity; Hispanic or Latino; Humans; Indians, North American; Indigenous peoples; Native North Americans; Obesity; Overweight; Prevention programs; Preventive medicine; Seasons; Summer; Variability; Weight Gain
• ISSN: 0749-3797; 1873-2607
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.12.010

Several studies have reported that children gain more weight during the summer season. Despite high obesity rates, little research has included American Indian/Alaskan Native children, and few studies have been longitudinal. This observational study examines seasonal weight variability over 3.5 years among ethnically diverse children, including 2,184 American Indian/Alaskan Native children. Children's height and weight were measured before and after the summer from 2012–2015 and analyzed in 2019–2020, including children with ≥2 consecutive measurements (N=7,890, mean age=8.4 [SD=2.8] years). Mixed-effects models tested whether the percentage of the 95th BMI percentile and BMI differed by season (summer versus the rest of the year) and ethnicity. American Indian/Alaskan Native (23.7%), Hispanic (19.8%), and Black (17.8%) children had significantly higher baseline obesity rates than White children (7.1%). The percentage of the 95th BMI percentile significantly increased during the summer compared with the percentage during the rest of the year, with the strongest effects for children who were obese (b=2.69, 95% CI=1.35, 4.03, p