(P13-031-25) Dietary Patterns and Their Associations With Obesity Among 4–9-Year-Old Children in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: This study aimed to identify and characterize the dietary patterns amongst young school-aged children in the UAE and investigate the association of these patterns with obesity.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 4–9-year-old children (n=426) was conducted in the 3 major Emirates of the UAE. Socio-demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements were obtained. Dietary assessment was performed using the 24-hour recall method. Derivation of dietary patterns was carried out using factor analysis.

Results: Of the study sample, 19.5% were individuals with overweight/at risk of overweight, and 5% were individuals with obesity. Two main dietary patterns were derived: the "Healthy Pattern", marked by higher consumption of fruits and vegetables, olive oil, and whole grains, and the "Western Pattern", characterized by higher intakes of fast food, salty snacks, sweets, and sugar-sweetened beverages. The Healthy Pattern demonstrated negative correlations with total energy, saturated and trans-fat intake, and a positive correlation with dietary fiber intake.  The Western Pattern was positively correlated with proteins, cholesterol, saturated and trans-fat intake, and negatively correlated with dietary fiber intake. Higher scores of the Healthy Pattern were associated with lower BMI-for-age Z scores (adjusted-β= -0.07; 95% CI: -0.15,-0.01).

Conclusions: The results of this study revealed two main dietary patterns; Healthy and Western, with the “Healthy” pattern being associated with a lower risk of obesity in the study population. These findings provide evidence for the development of culture-specific nutrition programs aimed at curbing the obesity epidemic amongst children in the UAE.

Funding Sources: This research was funded by Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study – Kids Nutrition and Health Study (FITS-KNHS) in the UAE (Nestle Research Center).