ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: Obesity in children is a global epidemic issue. Home food environment is an important aspect that may influence children’s body weight status. The aim of this study is to identify the association between socio-demographics and home food environment (HFE) factors with body weight status in primary school children in Bangi, Selangor. Methods: There were 398 children (43.5% males and 56.5% females) aged 7-11 years old (mean age of 9.04±1.41 years) and their parents (66.6% mothers and 33.4% fathers) from eight randomly selected primary schools participated in this study. Parents were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic background, feeding practices and food availability, while children were interviewed to obtain information on parental styles and physical activity level. Weight and height of children were assessed, and BMI-for-age z-score (BAZ) was calculated by using WHO Anthroplus Software. Results: Overweight and obesity prevalence was 17.8% and 13.1% respectively. A majority of the parents (61.3%) in this study practiced authoritative parenting style. The increased odds of childhood obesity has been found to be associated with an increasing age (OR=1.239, p<0.05). The risk for overweight or obese was greater for male students than for female students (OR=1.619, p<0.05). Parent’s increasing restriction for weight control (OR=1.080, p<0.05) and decreasing pressure to eat (OR=0.913, p<0.05) increased childhood overweight and obesity risk. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of involving parents in the obesity intervention programs for children.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is a striking lack of evidence about parents'/caregivers' influence on their children's dietary intake across Brazil and other middle- and low-income countries. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the associations between adolescents' dietary intake and home environment, family meals and parental support. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 1418 years old adolescent girls was conducted in 10 public schools in the city of São Paulo. Girls' dietary intake, home food environment, parental support, and family meals' frequency were self-reported by 253 adolescents. Brazilian Food Pyramid recommendation was used as reference for the dietary intake. Linear regressions were used to verify the associations between home environmental, parental support, and family meal frequency with dietary intake. RESULTS: Girls parents' support for healthy eating was positively associated with the fruits group (mean (95%CI) 0.75 (0.66 to 0.84) ß = 0.26,p= 0.003), and the vegetables group (3.40 (3.08 to 3.72, ß = 0.25,p= 0.006)and negatively associated with the meat and eggs group (2.09 (1.93 to 2.25), ß =−0.14,p= 0.041). Home environment was associated with fruits group (0.73 (0.63 to 0.82), ß = 0.35,p= 0.001). The associations between sharing family meals and food groups were not statistically significant. However, girls demonstrated a positive association with dietary intake and sharing family meals. CONCLUSION: Parental support and home food environment were associated with dietary intake of the adolescent girls. Future studies - mainly from low- and middle-income countries - are needed to provide additional evidence on these associations and the effects of youth home environment