Abstract
Background: The influence of parents on physical activity (PA) and body weight of their children is confirmed by scientific studies. However, it is not known whether only children or those with siblings have a higher level of PA and healthier body weight. Objective: The aims of this study are (i) to assess whether there are any differences in the achievement of the daily step count (SC) recommendation and in the prevalence of overweight/obesity between only children and children from families with multiple children, and (ii) to investigate whether the achievement of the SC recommendation by children/parents and parental overweight/obesity is associated with childhood obesity. Methods: The analysis included 566 families (10.6%/89.4% with single child/two or more children) with complete data on weight status and PA monitored with a Yamax pedometer during regular school/work between 2013-2019. The daily SC recommendation amounted to ≥ 13,000/11,000 SC for 5-12-year-old sons/daughters and ≥ 10,000 SC for 12-16-year-old adolescents and adults. The chi-square test was used to compare the achievement of the daily SC recommendation and the prevalence of overweight/obesity. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to investigate whether the achievement of the daily SC recommendation by children/parents and parental overweight/obesity were associated with obesity in their offspring. Results: A significantly higher proportion of children with siblings achieved the recommended daily SC (51.8% vs. 31.7%, p = .003) and showed a lower prevalence of overweight (16.2% vs. 20.0%, p = .041) and obesity (7.1% vs. 20.0%, p < .001) compared with only children. The achievement of the daily SC recommendation in children significantly (p < .05) decreased the odds ratio of obesity (odds ratios 0.22-0.34, 95% confidence intervals 0.07-0.85). Conclusions: Children from families with siblings had higher physical activity and healthier body weight than those from single-child families. However, reaching the recommended daily SC reduces the likelihood of childhood obesity, regardless of the presence of a sibling in the family.
Highlights
Childhood obesity arises as a result of the interaction between a complex of genetic, environmental, and psychosocial determinants that lead to excessive food intake and insufficient physical activity (PA; Baranowski et al, 2019)
The children with siblings showed a lower prevalence of overweight (16.2% vs. 20.0%, p = .041) and obesity (7.1% vs. 20.0%, p < .001) and, analogously, a higher proportion of normal body weight (71.1% vs. 56.7%, p = .022) than the only children (Figure 1)
In the mothers of children with siblings a significantly (p = .018) higher daily step count (SC) at weekends was observed compared with the mothers of only children (Figure 2)
Summary
Childhood obesity arises as a result of the interaction between a complex of genetic, environmental, and psychosocial determinants that lead to excessive food intake and insufficient physical activity (PA; Baranowski et al, 2019). Behavioural individual or family-based energy balancerelated changes in diet and PA are currently the primary tools for modifying lifestyles and preventing childhood obesity. They show a rather small and short-term effect and a high level of heterogeneity (Al-Khudairy et al, 2017; Mead et al, 2017). The influence of parents on physical activity (PA) and body weight of their children is confirmed by scientific studies It is not known whether only children or those with siblings have a higher level of PA and healthier body weight. Reaching the recommended daily SC reduces the likelihood of childhood obesity, regardless of the presence of a sibling in the family
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