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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Longitudinal associations between family characteristics and measures of childhood obesity

Reetta Lehto1, Carola Ray, Eva Roos

  • 1Folkhälsan Research Center, Paasikivenkatu 4, 00250, Helsinki, Finland. Reetta.lehto@folkhalsan.fi

International Journal of Public Health
|August 5, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Family meals and parental care are linked to lower child body mass index (BMI). These factors may help prevent childhood obesity by influencing weight and weight gain over time.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Childhood Obesity Research
  • Family Studies

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern with complex etiological factors.
  • Understanding the role of family environment in weight development is crucial for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine associations between family characteristics and children's body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR).
  • To investigate both cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships over a two-year period.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective follow-up study in the Helsinki region with 550 children (aged 9-11 at baseline).
  • Data collected in 2006 and 2008, including anthropometric measurements and family characteristic questionnaires.
  • Analysis focused on predicting BMI and WHtR based on family factors.

Main Results:

  • Increased family meals, positive mealtime parenting, and less unsupervised time predicted lower BMI and slower BMI increase.
  • Child's perception of maternal care in 2006 was associated with lower BMI in 2008.
  • Fewer associations were observed for waist-to-height ratio (WHtR); physical activity with parents showed no association with BMI or WHtR.

Conclusions:

  • Specific family characteristics significantly predict children's BMI and WHtR over a two-year period.
  • Findings highlight the significant influence of parental factors on child weight status and weight gain.
  • Results provide valuable insights for designing targeted interventions to address childhood obesity.
Abstract

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