Preventing obesity in American Indian children: when to begin.

To address the lack of knowledge regarding obesity and lifestyle behaviors of preschool children, this study undertook the examination of the eating behaviors of 20 Mohawk children ranging in age from 1.5 to 4 years. Parents were asked to report height, weight, and 3-day food consumption for their children. Children's physical activities were measured with the TriTrac accelerometer. The resulting data put thirteen of the children (65%) at or above the 85th percentile weight for height based on the National Center for Health Statistics growth charts, and 10 (50%) above the 95th percentile. The results of this preliminary investigation suggested that a high consumption of energy was resulting in an energy imbalance leading to children who were overweight or obese. The study results were used to plan an obesity prevention intervention for American Indian preschool children and their parents.