Background
Parental influences on children's eating and physical activity (PA) and consequently on their weight are fundamental. The present study aimed to identify the predominant correlates of ...childhood overweight/obesity among a variety of parental practices and children's lifestyle indices in a large sample of children in Europe.
Methods
Families from low socio‐economic status regions were recruited through schools, located in six European countries (Belgium, Finland, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria and Hungary). Seven thousand three hundred ninety‐seven children 4–12 years old and their parents were selected using the FINDRISC‐questionnaire. Parental practices assessed included parental role modelling, permissiveness and reward. Children's dietary intake and lifestyle behaviours were assessed through parent‐reported questionnaires.
Results
Regarding parental practices, it was revealed that being sometimes (odds ratio OR = 1.26; 95% confidence interval CI = 1.10–1.43) or rarely (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.21–1.69) physically active with the child was associated with greater overweight/obesity risk, whereas rare permission of computer/mobile/tablet (OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.67–0.98) and sometimes (OR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.68–0.88) or rare (OR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.66–0.91) reward with PA were associated with lower risk. Regarding children's lifestyle factors, consuming > 3 cups/week fresh fruit juices (OR = 1.28; 95% CI = 1.13–1.45), skipping breakfast (OR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.17–1.61), absence of 1 h of daily PA (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.24–1.58) and increased daily screen time (ST) (OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.09–1.39) were associated with greater overweight/obesity risk. All the variables were adjusted for maternal education, child's sex and age.
Conclusions
These findings emphasize the necessity of family‐centered approaches in health promotion and obesity prevention programs for children. Such programs should focus on parents as the primary role models in exerting positive influence and encouraging healthy eating habits, PA, and ST behaviors in their children, which in turn, may have a substantial impact on children's overall weight status.
The adoption of a physically active lifestyle with the child, with limited screen‐time permission, rare reward with physical activity and healthy eating habits are associated with lower childhood overweight/obesity risk. Future health actions could be orchestrated aiming to counteract childhood overweight/obesity by involving parents as an integral component of any obesity program.
Key points
Being physically active with the child is associated with reduced obesity risk
Omission of breakfast and high fresh fruit juices consumption may increase childhood obesity risk
Parental control on children's screen time is linked with lower childhood obesity risk
The current work aimed to identify the predominant correlates of prediabetes and T2DM among a variety of socio-demographic, anthropometric and lifestyle indices, in a large sample of adults from ...families at high risk for T2DM.
In this cross-sectional study, 2816 adults were recruited from low-socioeconomic areas in high-income countries (HICs) (Belgium-Finland), HICs under austerity measures (Greece-Spain), and low/middle-income countries (LMICs) (Bulgaria-Hungary). A positive association between the male sex (OR, 95% C.I.2.77 (1.69–4.54)) and prediabetes was revealed compared to females, while there was a negative association between younger age (<45 years) (OR, 95% C.I. 0.58 (0.37–0.92)), and low/medium levels of waist circumference (OR, 95% C.I. 0.44 (0.22–0.89)) with prediabetes compared to older age and high levels of waist circumference, respectively. Concerning T2DM, 0–0.5 cups/day of fruits and berries (OR, 95% C.I.2. 13 (1.16–3.91)) and 150–300 g fish/week (OR, 95% C.I. 2.55 (1.01–6.41)) have a positive association compared to higher consumptions, respectively. Conversely, <1 cup/week legumes (OR, 95% C.I. 0.55 (0.31–0.99) as well as 0–0.5 servings (OR, 95% C.I. 0.34 (0.12–0.95) and 0.5–1 servings (OR, 95% C.I. 0.37 (0.19–0.71) of full-fat dairy/day have a negative association compared to higher consumptions, respectively.
These findings indicate the need for diabetes prevention measures targeting young adults and especially men, above 45 years of age, with central obesity and poor dietary habits and prioritize vulnerable groups and populations living in LMICs.
NCT 02393872
•People under 45 years old have lower prediabetes prevalence•Men at age of 40 have a 3-fold higher prediabetes prevalence compared to woman.•People living in LMICs have a higher T2DM prevalence compared to those living in HICs under crisis
