The relationship between children's flourishing and being overweight.

Abstract

This study examined the effect of children’s flourishing on the pandemic of obesity from various aspects such as age, gender, race, family, school, and community. By using a subsample of the 2011–2012 National Survey of Children’s Health, the Flourishing scale analyses were performed with a total of 45,309 children. Childhood obesity was diagnosed by calculating the percentile of the body mass index. Hispanic Americans were more likely to be overweight (P<0.01). Nonoverweight children were more likely to participate in after-school activities, less likely to have sedentary behavior, more likely to miss school, to be more active, and had more of flourishing than their counterpart (P<0.01). Parent’s marital and health status also positively affect children’s obesity status (P<0.01). Social capital and neighbor amenities significantly affect children’s weight status (P<0.01). A multifaceted understanding of the role of family, school, and community (with proving children’s flourishing environment) in terms of how and what could contribute to children’s obesity status is important in order to bring about positive impact.