Lifestyle Habits In Children Research Articles

Prevalence and lifestyle determinants of central obesity in children.

Central obesity is a strong risk factor for metabolic disorders and cardiometabolic diseases in children and adolescents. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of central obesity and to determine its cross-sectional association with lifestyle habits in a sample of school-aged children in Greece. The study sample consisted of 124,113 children (9.9±1.1years old, 51% boys) attending the third and fifth grade of primary school. Anthropometric measurements were performed by trained physical education teachers, and central obesity was defined as waist-to-height ratio ≥0.5. Children's lifestyle habits were assessed through 7-day recall questionnaires. Of the participating children, 33.4% were classified as centrally obese. Central obesity was significantly more prevalent in boys than in girls (36.0 vs. 30.7%, P<0.001) and was present in 95% of obese children, as well as in a significant percentage of overweight (69.5%) and normal-weight ones (12.0%). Children with central obesity, compared to their non-centrally obese counterparts, reported poorer dietary habits and were less physically active. According to multiple logistic regression analysis, frequent breakfast (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.69-0.75) and snack consumption (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.67-0.74), as well as frequent participation in sedentary activities (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.07-1.14), were the strongest lifestyle determinants of central obesity. Strategies for the prevention of central obesity and associated comorbidities are urgently needed, for both obese and non-obese children. Our results suggest the need for a shift towards a healthier environment for our children, with emphasis on specific lifestyle habits, such as regular meal consumption and low sedentariness.

Predictors of Maternal Concern and Accuracy of Maternal Perceptions of Child's Weight in 1st Graders

Mothers influence children's lifestyle habits and maternal concern (MC) about child weight may have negative outcomes (e.g., restriction). The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of MC about child weight in a sample of 431 mothers of 1st graders from 29 schools. The Child Feeding Questionnaire was utilized to assess MC, maternal perception (MP) of child's weight and maternal self‐reported weight status. Children's weight status was determined using direct measurements and the established BMI‐for‐age percentile cut‐offs for 3 categories: 1) normal weight; 2) overweight, or 3) obese. Linear regression was conducted to determine if MC about child weight was predicted by MP of child weight, maternal self‐reported weight status, child weight status and child gender. The regression model was significant (R2 = .33, p &lt; .001). Maternal self‐reported weight status (β = .13), child weight (β = .51) and child gender (β = .11; all ps &lt; .01) were significant predictors of MC but MP of child weight was not (β = ‐.003, p = .94). A secondary analysis further explored why MP of child weight was not related to MC. MP of child weight was assessed using 3 categories (overestimate; match; underestimate). Child weight was misconceived by 27% of mothers (all underestimated). Findings confirmed the hypothesized MC predictors, except for MP of child weight. Because MP of child weight may influence feeding strategies and the child's perceptions of self, further research examining weight‐related concerns and perceptions of mothers in relation to child's body or self‐esteem is warranted.

Parenting style and obesity risk in children

Parenting style and obesity risk in children

Identifying common metrics for evaluating school-based healthy lifestyles programs in seven countries: introduction to workshop proceedings.

The worldwide childhood obesity pandemic highlights the need to instill healthy lifestyle habits in children and youths, in particular fostering and facilitating healthy eating behaviors and a high degree of physical activity. To achieve this it's important to strengthen local program evaluation capacity. To summarize the proceedings of the seven-country School-Based Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, on 13-14 September 2013 under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation. Synthesis of workshop proceedings including illustrative participants' quotes. All seven countries' programs were successful at developing and presenting their Program Impact Pathway (PIP) analysis at the workshop. All countries found their PIP analyses useful and improved them based on feedback received at the workshop. As illustrated by the participants' quotes the PIP analyses proved to be very useful in leading to in-depth critical thinking and discussion about ways to improve the programs' processes, oversight, and outcomes.

The Program SI! intervention for enhancing a healthy lifestyle in preschoolers: first results from a cluster randomized trial

BackgroundUnhealthy lifestyles contribute to the development of cardiovascular risk factors, whose incidence is increasing among children and adolescents. The Program SI! is a long-term, multi-target behavioral intervention to promote healthy lifestyle habits in children through the school environment. The objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of this intervention in its first phase, preschoolers.MethodsCluster-randomized controlled trial in public schools in the city of Madrid, Spain. A total 24 schools, including 2062 children (3–5 years), 1949 families, and 125 teachers participated in the study. Schools were assigned to their usual school curriculum or to engage in an additional multi-component intervention (Program SI!). The primary outcome of this trial is 1-school year changes from baseline in scores for children’s knowledge, attitudes and habits (KAH). Secondary outcomes are 1-school year changes from baseline in scores for knowledge, attitudes, and habits among parents, teachers, and the school environment.ResultsAfter 1-school year, our results indicate that the Program SI! intervention increases children’s KAH scores, both overall (3.45, 95% CI, 1.84-5.05) and component-specific (Diet: 0.93, 95% CI, 0.12-1.75; Physical activity: 1.93, 95% CI, 1.17-2.69; Human body: 0.65, 95% CI, 0.07-1.24) score.ConclusionsThe Program SI! is demonstrated as an effective and feasible strategy for increasing knowledge and improving lifestyle attitudes and habits among very young children.Trial registrationNCT01579708, Evaluation of the Program SI! for Preschool Education: A School-Based Randomized Controlled Trial (Preschool-SI!).

Talking the Talk or Walking the Walk? Nutrition and Physical Activity Habits of Parents of Children and Youth with Obesity

Talking the Talk or Walking the Walk? Nutrition and Physical Activity Habits of Parents of Children and Youth with Obesity

Nutrition knowledge and other determinants of food intake and lifestyle habits in children and young adolescents living in a rural area of Sicily, South Italy.

The study aimed to test the reliability of a nutrition questionnaire and to assess potential associations between nutrition knowledge, food consumption and lifestyle behaviours, controlling for sociodemographic factors. Cross-sectional survey. Comprehensive school in the municipality of Butera, a rural area of Sicily, South Italy. The survey was conducted between March and May 2010 on 445 students (4-16 years). All constructs of the questionnaire had statistically significant Cronbach's a and Pearson's correlation coefficients, showing good internal consistency and temporal stability. After controlling for covariates, nutrition knowledge was positively associated with pasta/rice, fish, vegetable and fruit intakes, and negatively with sweets, snacks, fried foods and sugary drinks consumption. Moreover, students whose parents were in the highest educational and occupational categories reported eating significantly more fruits and vegetables and less meat, sweets, snacks, fried foods and sugary drinks. Students with higher nutrition knowledge scores were less likely to have two or more snacks daily and to spend more than 3 h in sedentary activities daily (OR=0.89, 95% CI 0.83, 0.97 and OR=0.92, 95% CI 0.86, 0.99, respectively). High parental education was associated with less frequent snacking and more frequent weekly physical activity, compared with lower categories, whereas high parental occupational category was associated with daily breakfast. Improving nutrition knowledge in children and young adolescents may translate into educating them in good dietary habits. Moreover, nutrition intervention programmes should also involve parents to improve dietary quality and nutritional habits of the entire family.

Parental perceptions and childhood overweight/obesity: A population-based study among school children in Japan

The lifestyle of children is primarily controlled by their parents, and that childhood obesity is related to family variables. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between parental perceptions on childhood obesity and their child’s overweight/obesity in Japan. The study subjects were 3168 school children (aged 9 or 10 years) and their parents in the town of Ina, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, between 2002 and 2009. Information regarding parental perceptions about childhood obesity and the lifestyle factors of their children was collected using self-administered questionnaires completed by the participants and their parents. Childhood over-weight was defined according to the International Obesity Task Force cutoffs. Parental perceptions on childhood obesity were significantly associated with their child’s overweight status. Specifically, low perceptions regarding childhood obesity significantly increased the odds ratio (OR) for the child’s overweight status (OR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.32 - 2.62). However, when the analysis was limited to children with both parents being overweight, there was no statistically significant difference between levels of parental perceptions and the overweight status of their children. Accordingly, the present study suggests that, when both parents are obese, not only is raising parental awareness important, but also encouraging parents to prevent themselves from becoming overweight, leads to improvements in the lifestyle habits of children, which may contribute to the prevention of childhood overweight.

Risk factors for smoking among school adolescents in Greece

We conducted this study among school adolescents to identify factors, which influence schoolchildren to smoke. We carried out a cross-sectional study in a sample of 924 students of all classes (ages 12-18 years old) in 15 public high schools in a semi-urban area in Crete, Greece, using a questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised of 46 questions covering children's lifestyle habits regarding daily activities and leisure time, frequency of risk-taking behaviour, knowledge about the hazards and long-term consequences of smoking. 23.9% of participants were experimental smokers and 18.6% were current smokers. 11.4% of the total population was daily smokers. There was a significant increase in the prevalence of experimental and current smokers with school grades, while peaks in last grades were observed. Boys started smoking earlier than girls, mean (standard error) age 13.4 (2.3) years vs. 14.1 (2.3) years, P = 0.01. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed a positive relationship between current smoking and having brother or sister smoking [odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 2.7 (1.7-4.4) and 1.8 (1.1-3.3) respectively], having more than three friends who were smokers [2.6 (2-3.4)] and last school grade [1.4 (1.2-1.7)]. Students appeared to be informed about long-term smoking hazards and had negative views on children who smoke especially in the lower grades. Prevention programmes should be imposed early in elementary schools while cessation policies should target at all grades, in particular at critical grades depending on population-specific characteristics.

Effects of lifestyle habits and eating meals together with the family on the prevalence of obesity among school children in Tokushima, Japan: a cross-sectional ques-tionnaire-based survey

Obesity in children has become a major global public health concern. The prevention of obesity must start from early childhood in order to establish sound lifestyle habits and promote healthy adulthood. In this study, we evaluated factors associated with the prevention of obesity and the development of healthy lifestyle habits in children. A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was performed in elementary and junior high school students in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, during the summer of 2004. The questionnaire consisted of 30 items such as physique, sleep, eating habits, diet, exercise, free time, and attending after-school lessons. Our study revealed that eating meals as a family every day is associated with a lower rate of obesity as well as getting good lifestyle habits such as eating balanced meals and getting enough sleep. Of the 3,291 students who responded to the questionnaire, 2,688 (81.7%) reported that they eat meals with their family every day. The percentage of students who eat meals with their family every day decreased with increasing school grade, with the lowest percent in the junior high school students. However, the results regarding female junior high school students revealed a marked association between eating meals with the family every day and good lifestyle habits. We recommend that parents and school teaching staff encourage the establishment of sound, healthy lifestyle habits in children from early childhood as an effective measure for the prevention of obesity.

The role of parents' educational background in healthy lifestyle practices and attitudes of their 6-year-old children

The aim of the present study was to examine parents' reported and desired frequencies (practices vs. attitudes) of their 6-year-old children's meals, nutritional intake and lifestyle components, as well as possible obstacles and desired support with respect to higher or lower educational backgrounds. Cross-sectional questionnaire study. Five elementary schools in Uppsala, Sweden. Parents of 176 6-year-old pupils attending the first grade. The total response rate was 89.7%. Parents with a college degree reported that their 6-year-olds had a higher frequency of milk, fruit and vegetable intake, more physical activity and fewer hours watching television compared with parents with a secondary school degree. Congruent to these differences in reported practices, more parents with a college degree desired a higher frequency of milk, fruit and vegetable intake, more physical exercise and less television viewing for their children. Regarding parents' desired meal frequencies during the week, no differences between the groups with higher and lower levels of education were found. Despite similar attitudes, however, parents with a college degree reported that their children ate mostly all meals significantly more often during the week. Both parent groups stated lack of time as the most common obstacle in providing their children with desired lifestyle practices, although parents with a secondary school education added lack of money as a contributing factor. As attitudes are not always reflected in reported practices, it seems a fruitful approach to assess both, as well as obstacles perceived by parents, before planning interventions to enhance healthy lifestyle habits in children.

PHYSICAL FITNESS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND OBESITY AMONG CHILDREN AND YOUTH OSLO, NORWAY

There is a close relationship between physical fitness, physical activity and health. Children and youth are an important target group in the work to increase public health. Firstly to ensure normal growth and development secondly because there is evidence that children's lifestyle habits persist in to adult age. PURPOSE: To evaluate the differences in physical fitness and physical activity between 9- and 15-year old girls and boys in Oslo, and to evaluate the relationship of those variables with obesity. METHODS: Four hundred and ten 9-yea olds and 347 15-year olds participated in a cross-sectional study as a part of the European Youth Heart Study. Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak), was indirectly measured using an incremental, maximal bicycle ergometer test. The Computer Science and Application (CSA) activity monitor was used to register physical activity. As a measure of obesity the skinfold thickness was registered at four sights with a Harpenden caliper. RESULTS: Significant differences (p < 0,001) were observed regarding VO2peak physical activity and the sum of four skinfolds between girls and boys in both age groups. The level of physical activity was also significantly lower in the oldest cobort than in the youngest one. The sum of four skinfolds showed a significant correlation with physical fitness for both girls and boys in the two age groups. This correlation could not be found for physical activity. CONCLUSION: Our results support today's knowledge that boys are more physically active than girl and that the physical activity level decrease with increasing age. It is therefore of importance to provide action toward those children who are least physically fit and simultaneously prevent the general physical activity level to decline. Supported by The Norwegian Council of Cardiovascular DiseasesTable: No Caption Available