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 Childhood Energy Balance - Dr. Diane Jackson

Dr. Diane Jackson

Research Goals

• The importance of phenotype in childhood obesity.

• Familial contribution to childhood obesity.

• Development and testing obesity interventions.


Link to Rascal project

Over the last 20-30 years the number of children either overweight or obese has dramatically increased. Childhood obesity tracks into adulthood and can have long term implications for health. The factors that influence whether a child is more or less likely to become overweight or obese are unclear however an increase in fatty food consumption combined with a decrease in activity levels have been implicated. If we are to develop preventative strategies a clearer understanding of the factors involved in the development of childhood obesity are needed. We aim to investigate the factors involved in the cause and development of childhood obesity by measuring the lifestyle of young children and their families (Rascal Project). We are concentrating on the pre-school age group as this had been shown to be potentially an important time of growth for predicting body composition in later life.

The overall objective of the study is to:

1. Evaluate the importance of phenotype (using detailed measurements of body composition, physical activity and food intake) in the development of childhood obesity.

2. Evaluate the importance of the family in the development of the obesogenic phenotype in the child.

3. Develop and test obesity interventions

Recent Publications

Reilly JJ, Jackson DM, Montgomery C, Kelly L, Slater C, Grant S, Paton J (2004) Low levels of energy expenditure and physical activity in contemporary children. The Lancet 363: 211-212.

Montgomery C, Reilly JJ, Jackson DM, Kelly LA, Slater C, Paton JY, Grant S (2004) Relationship between physical activity and energy expenditure in a representative sample of young children. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 80:591-6

Jackson DM, Reilly JJ, Montgomery C, Kelly L, Grant S, Paton J (2003) Objectively measured physical activity in a representative sample of 3-4 year old children Obesity Research 11 (3) 420-425.

Reilly, J. J .Montgomery, C . Jackson, DM .MacRitchie, J.Armstrong, J. (2001) Energy intake by multiple pass 24 h recall and total energy expenditure: a comparison in a representative sample of 3-4- year-olds. British Journal of Nutrition 86 (5) 601-605.

Bland RM, Bulgarelli S., Ventham J.C., Jackson D.M., Reilly J.J., Paton J.Y. (2001) Total energy expenditure in children with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. European Respiratory Journal 18: 164-169.

Contact details for Dr. Diane Jackson

Email:D.Jackson@rowett.ac.uk

Telephone:+44 (0)1224 712751 ext 2505