Background Good nutrition and physical activity of school-aged children are important for ensuring optimum growth and reducing obesity. This present study assessed associations between breakfast consumption, BMI-for-Age (BMI) and physical fitness in a cross-section of school-aged children attending government-owned primary schools in Kumasi, Ghana. Method The sample consisted of 438 pupils (boys = 213; girls = 225; mean age 11.1 ± 1.1), attending 10 randomly selected schools. Weight (kg), height (cm) and Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) were measured for each participant, and BMI-for-age z-scores determined using the World Health Organisation (WHO) anthroplus software. Participants were stratified into thinness, normal weight, overweight/obese using WHO cut offs. Physical fitness was assessed using forward jump, left and right handgrips, flexibility, sit-ups and 50 metre run following standard procedures and converted to scores of 1 to 10 following Japanese standards, based on which percentiles were derived. Total fitness score for each pupil was computed by adding all scores. A questionnaire was used to assess meal intake patterns. Results The mean BMI-for-age z-score for participants was - 0.24 ± 0.99. Thinness, normal weight and overweight/obesity were 2.7, 86.5, and 10.5% respectively among the pupils. Overweight was higher in girls (14.2%) compared to boys (4.2%), p = 0.003. Similarly, mean MUAC was significantly (p = 0.021) higher in the girls (22.0 ± 3.2 cm) than the boys (20.7 ± 7.3 cm). For physical fitness, the girls scored higher in forward jump (p < 0.0001), 50-m run (p = 0.002) and overall fitness score than the boys (21.0 ± 6.2 versus 19.2 ± 8.3, p = 0.012). However, a larger proportion of boys performed excellently and poorly than girls (p = 0.019). A positive correlation was observed between BMI z-score and hand grip (r = 0.21, p < 0.001), while sit up (r = - 0.11, p = 0.018) showed a negative correlation with BMI z-score. No other fitness test varied by BMI. Overweight children performed best in handgrip. Majority of children said they engaged in exercise (89.9%) and consumed breakfast (78.9%). Breakfast consumption was not associated with BMI z-score (x2 0.0359, p = 0.549) but non-breakfast consumers performed better in 50 m run compared to consumers (7.0 seconds ± 2.3 vrs 6.3 seconds ± 2.5, p = 0.022). Children who reported to exercise were physically fitter than those who did not. Conclusion Underweight levels were low while overweight was over 10% in these children. Girls were more than 3 times affected by overweight than boys, and were also physically fitter than boys. Breakfast consumption was not related to weight or fitness.

中文翻译：

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加纳学龄儿童早餐摄入量、BMI状况和体质的关系。


背景 学龄儿童良好的营养和身体活动对于确保最佳生长和减少肥胖非常重要。本研究评估了加纳库马西公立小学的学龄儿童的早餐摄入量、年龄别体重指数 (BMI) 和身体健康之间的关系。方法 样本由 438 名学生组成（男生 = 213 名；女生 = 225 名；平均年龄 11.1 ± 1.1 岁），就读于 10 所随机选择的学校。测量每位参与者的体重 (kg)、身高 (cm) 和上臂中围 (MUAC)，并使用世界卫生组织 (WHO) anthroplus 软件确定年龄别 BMI z 分数。根据世界卫生组织的标准，参与者被分为瘦弱、正常体重、超重/肥胖。按照标准程序，使用前跳、左右握力、灵活性、仰卧起坐和 50 米跑来评估体能，并按照日本标准转换为 1 至 10 分，并据此得出百分位数。通过将所有分数相加来计算每个学生的总健康分数。使用问卷来评估膳食摄入模式。结果 参与者的平均年龄别 BMI z 得分为 - 0.24 ± 0.99。小学生的瘦削率、正常体重率和超重/肥胖率分别为2.7%、86.5%和10.5%。女孩的超重率 (14.2%) 高于男孩 (4.2%)，p = 0.003。同样，女孩 (22.0 ± 3.2 cm) 的平均 MUAC 显着 (p = 0.021) 高于男孩 (20.7 ± 7.3 cm)。在身体健康方面，女孩在前跳 (p < 0.0001)、50 米跑 (p = 0.002) 和整体健康得分方面的得分高于男孩（21.0 ± 6.2 vs 19.2 ± 8.3，p = 0.012）。然而，表现优秀和表现较差的男孩比例均高于女孩（p = 0.019）。 BMI z 得分与握力之间存在正相关（r = 0.21，p < 0.001），而仰卧起坐（r = - 0.11，p = 0.018）与 BMI z 得分呈负相关。没有其他体能测试因 BMI 而异。超重儿童在握力方面表现最好。大多数儿童表示他们进行了锻炼（89.9%）并吃早餐（78.9%）。早餐消费与 BMI z 得分无关（x2 0.0359，p = 0.549），但不吃早餐的消费者在 50 m 跑步中的表现优于消费者（7.0 秒 ± 2.3 vs 6.3 秒 ± 2.5，p = 0.022）。报告说进行锻炼的孩子比没有锻炼的孩子身体更健康。结论 儿童体重不足率较低，超重率超过10%。女孩受超重影响的程度是男孩的三倍以上，而且身体也比男孩更健康。早餐摄入量与体重或健康状况无关。