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The effect of the home environment on physical activity and dietary intake in preschool children

T Østbye1, R Malhotra, M Stroo

  • 11] Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA [2] Program in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore.

International Journal of Obesity (2005)
|June 6, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Parental policies promoting physical activity (PA) and limiting unhealthy food access can improve children's health behaviors. These home environment factors influence children's activity levels and dietary intake, impacting obesity risks.

Area of Science:

  • Child Health
  • Obesity Prevention
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • The influence of the home environment on children's obesity-related health behaviors remains poorly understood.
  • Investigating home-based factors is crucial for developing effective childhood obesity interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze how the home physical activity (PA) and food environment affect young children's PA levels and dietary habits.
  • To determine if maternal education and work status moderate these environmental effects on child health behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • Mothers reported on home PA and food environments (accessibility, role modeling, policies).
  • Child outcomes included moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sedentary time (accelerometers), and dietary intake scores ('junk' and healthy foods).
  • Linear regression models assessed environmental effects and moderation by maternal education/work status.

Main Results:

  • Policies supporting PA were linked to increased child MVPA.
  • Limiting unhealthy food access was associated with higher healthy food intake scores.
  • Maternal role modeling of healthy eating improved healthy food intake, particularly for children of less educated mothers.

Conclusions:

  • Parental policies encouraging child PA are recommended to promote MVPA.
  • Restricting access to unhealthy foods and promoting healthy eating role modeling can enhance children's dietary quality.
Abstract

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