Associations between the neighborhood and home environments and weight status in pre‐kindergarten children (390.6)

Abstract

AIM: To determine if parent perceptions of the neighborhood environment, parenting style and household food purchasing patterns are associated with weight status in pre‐kindergarten children. METHODS: Parents of 114 pre‐kindergarten children, participants in the West Virginia Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Project, completed surveys to assess behavioral and environmental contributors to child weight. Neighborhood and home environments were assessed using the Twin Cities Walking Survey and the Family Food Environment Survey. Household food expenditures over the past 30 days, parent health status and that of the study child and household socio‐demographic characteristics were also reported. Children were weighed and height measured at a home visit or school screening by study staff. Linear regression was used to identify survey items significantly associated with child body mass index (BMI) percentile. RESULTS: Indicators of neighborhood cohesion, walkability and safety, percent of household food purchases made at stores not considered grocery stores, parent feeding style and history of overweight, and child birth weight accounted for about 50% of the variance in BMI percentile for age and gender. CONCLUSION: Characteristics of the neighborhood and home environments may be important contributors to weight status and should be considered in early childhood obesity prevention initiatives.Grant Funding Source: This project was supported by USDA AFRI grant #2011‐68001‐30049.