Mediation of the Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition Behaviors of Preschool Children by Maternal Cognition in China.

Xianglong Xu,Ping Hu,Lingli Liu,Manoj Sharma,Yong Zhao

doi:10.3390/ijerph13090909

Abstract

(1) Objective: We aimed to explore the role of social cognitive theory (SCT) of mothers in the physical activity and healthy nutrition behaviors of preschool children; (2) Methods: We used a self-administered five-point Likert common physical activity and nutrition behaviors scale in Chinese based on a social cognitive theory scale in English with established validity and reliability in the USA. The current study adopted the proportional sampling method to survey mothers of preschool children in four areas—namely, Chongqing, Chengdu, Taiyuan, and Shijiazhuang—of China; (3) Results: We included 1208 mothers (80.0% mothers of normal weight children, age 31.87 ± 4.19 years). Positive correlations were found between maternal social cognition and preschool children’s physical activity (PA) behavior (p < 0.0001). However, an insignificant correlation is observed between preschool children’s fruits and vegetables (FV) behavior, screen time (ST) behavior, and maternal social cognition; (4) Conclusions: This study provides some implications for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, increasing physical activity time, and reducing screen time in preschool children using SCT in China. Maternal social cognition is associated with preschool children’s PA behavior, and the results suggest that maternal social cognition may not affect children FV and ST behaviors. Further research is necessary to test the mediation of maternal social cognition on preschool children’s ST behavior and the correlations between maternal social cognition and children’s ST behavior.

Highlights

Childhood obesity is currently among the most serious public health challenges worldwide.In 2011, more than 40 million children under the age of five were overweight [1]
We found that maternal employment status and work hours affect children’s healthy lifestyle and the family food environment in varying degrees [26,27]
This study did not include gender; and this study aimed to explore the role of social cognitive theory of mothers on the physical activity and healthy nutrition behaviors of preschool children

Summary

Introduction

Childhood obesity is currently among the most serious public health challenges worldwide. In 2011, more than 40 million children under the age of five were overweight [1]. In China, the overall prevalence of overweight and obesity in children aged two to six years old has been 10.7% and 4.2%, respectively, in the first few years of the 21st century [2]. The prevalence of overweight or obese children has increased at an alarming rate in both developing and developed countries; the age of the onset of childhood obesity has been gradually decreasing [3]. Given the high risk of obesity and chronic non-communicable diseases later in life, obese children experience adverse outcomes such as breathing difficulties, increased risk of fractures, hypertension, early symptoms of cardiovascular. Res. Public Health 2016, 13, 909; doi:10.3390/ijerph13090909 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion