Subjective Household Economic Status and Obesity in Toddlers: A Cross-Sectional Study of Daycare Centers in Japan.

Yasutake Tomata,Fukuko Hiramoto,Ichiro Tsuji,Miki Tanaka,Michiko Sakai,Yuka Kamada,Noriko Kurasawa,Kumiko Tanno,Shu Zhang,Kaori Kobayashi

doi:10.2188/jea.je20170081

Yasutake Tomata, Fukuko Hiramoto + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.2188/jea.je20170081

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Abstract

BackgroundAlthough lower household economic status is known to be a risk factor for obesity among school-age children, such an association among toddlers remains unclear. The present study investigated the association between household economic status and obesity in toddlers.DesignWe conducted a cross-sectional study of children aged 4 years attending daycare centers in Japan. Information on subjective household economic status [“affluent”, “neither”, “less affluent”, or “non-affluent”] was collected via questionnaire from the children’s guardians in 2015. Based on measured values of height and weight, obesity was defined using the International Obesity Task Force cut-offs of overweight (BMI ≥17.47 for boys and ≥17.19 for girls). We used the logistic regression model to investigate the association between household economic status and obesity.ResultsAmong 1,848 respondents, the prevalence of obesity was 6.8%. Non-affluent household economic status was associated with a significantly higher probability of obesity in toddlers; the multivariate adjusted odds ratio for “non-affluent” households was 2.31 (95% confidence interval, 1.23–4.33) compared with “affluent” households.ConclusionPerception of non-affluent economic status by the guardian was associated with a higher probability of toddler obesity. This result suggests that non-affluent household economic status is associated with obesity in toddlers.

Highlights

The prevalence of obesity in toddlers has increased globally.[1]
Perception of non-affluent economic status by the guardian was associated with a higher probability of toddler obesity
This result suggests that non-affluent household economic status is associated with obesity in toddlers

Summary

Introduction

Income inequality in Japan (Gini coefficient) is relatively higher than in other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, and it has increased in the period from 1985 to 2011.4 Child income poverty rates are relatively higher than in other OECD countries.[5] there is a concern that lower socioeconomic status in Japan may affect the prevalence of childhood obesity.[5,6,7] recent Japanese cross-sectional studies have reported that lower household economic status (income or subjective economic status) is a risk factor for obesity in adolescents.[8,9] This increased risk may be problematic in school-age children, and at earlier life-stages (ie in pre-school children) Despite these concerns, the association between household economic status and obesity in toddlers has not been clarified. The present study investigated the association between household economic status and obesity in toddlers

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Conclusion