Diet Quality & Food Intake

in At-Risk Preschoolers
Esha Fletcher & Jue Zhang

Background & Study Population

Baseline and post-intervention data
measuring dietary quality
485 preschoolers (27% African American,
56% Hispanic)
Data collected at preschools in Waterbury
and Meridan, CT

Dietary Quality and its relationship

to change in frequency for BMI and
Carotenoid Status

Research Question
Is the change in frequency based dietary quality consistent
to change in adiposity and carotenoid status?

Hypothesis
Null Hypothesis: There is no relationship between
change in frequency and its effects on change in BMI and
carotenoid status
H0= B=0

Alternative Hypothesis: There is a relationship

between change in frequency and its effects on BMI and
carotenoid status
HA= B=0

Independent Variable
Change in frequency of dietary quality
HEI (Healthy Eating Index)
o measure of dietary quality that assesses the
frequency and quantity of food consumed

Dependent Variables
BMI (Body Mass Index)
Measure of body fat based on
height and weight
Want to see if BMI will change
from baseline to postintervention

Carotenoid Status
Assessed by shining blue light
on the persons hand, to
determine the amount of
carotenoid is in the palm of the
hands
Determines if fruit/vegetable
intake has increased from pre to
post intervention

Rationale for Variable Selection

Childhood obesity epidemic
BMI determines if someone is obese
Prevention is possible

Descriptive Stats
Mean

Median

Range

Skewness

Variance

Standard
Deviation

Change in
HEI

5.24573

6.00000

105.000

-1.9863

218.727

14.7894

Change in
BMI

16.3105

2.00000

200.000

0.1568

1681.84

41.0103

Change in
Raman

5.8793

4.0300

-65.0900

-0.1459

134.670

-11.6047

proc means data=sasuser. Raman_ mean

std median mode range q1 q3 qrange;
var ChangeHEI;
run;

Normality Tests

BMI

HEI

proc univariate data= sasuser. Raman_ NORMAL PLOT;

VAR ChangeHEI;
histogram;
QQPLOT ChangeHEI/NORMAL(MU=EST SIGMA=EST COLOR=RED L=1);
RUN;

Raman

Generalized Linear Model

Poisson Distribution

proc genmod data=sasuser. Raman_;

model ChangeBMI=ChangeHEI/ dist=p link=log type1 type3
scale=d;
output out= BMIout pred= predictedBMI stdreschi=
residualBMI;
run;
proc sgplot data= BMIout;
scatter y= residualBMI x= predictedBMI;
run;

Results
There is enough evidence to reject the null
hypothesis; therefore we can say there is a
statistically significant effect of HEI dietary
quality on BMI and carotenoid status for
preschool children

Research Question
Does the Change in Healthy Eating Preference Index Impact
the Changes in Total Carotenoid Status and Adiposity among
At-risk Preschoolers?

Hypothesis
Null Hypothesis: There is no association between Change in
Healthy Eating Preference and its effects on change in BMI and
change in carotenoid status.
H0: =0

Alternative Hypothesis: There will be a significant change in

Healthy Eating Preference and its effects on change in BMI and
change in carotenoid status.
H1: 0

Independent Variable
Healthy Eating Preference Index
A liking-based dietary
quality score, which can
consider as an dietary
preference measurement.

Healthy Eating Preference Index

Dependent Variables
BMI (Body Mass Index)

represents the adiposity in preschoolers.

Total Carotenoid Status

represents the fruit and vegetable intake in

preschoolers.

Descriptive Stats
Variables

Mean

SD

Median

Mode

Range

Change in
HEPI

-38.99

65.72

-33.03

0.00

460.38

Change in
BMI

18.81

39.63

5.30

0.00

200.00

Change in
Raman

4.62

10.68

0.01

0.00

65.09

proc means data=work. test

mean std median mode range q1 q3 qrange;
var c_raman;
run;

Normality Tests
BMI

Raman

HEPI

proc univariate data=test NORMAL PLOT;

var c_hepi;
histogram/normal;
run;

Generalized Linear Model-Poisson

proc genmod data=test;

model C_bmi=c_hepi/ dist=p link=log type1 type3
scale=d;
output out= bmiout pred= predictedbmi stdreschi=
residualbmi;
run;
proc sgplot data= bmiout;
scatter y= residualbmi x= predictedbmi;
run;

Results
There is not enough evidence to reject the null
hypothesis; therefore we cannot say there is a
statistically significant effect of (HEPI) dietary quality
on BMI and carotenoid status.

Strength
The sample size of
participants is large.

Limitations
There was under reporting by
parents in the food frequency
screening.

There are two dietary

screening surveys - HEI
and HEPI.

More variables should be

included for the future models.

Questions?