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Child neglect and eating habits in primary schoolchildren: A prospective study in Wuhan, China
Hong-Jie Yu1, Xiangxiang Liu2, Miaobing Zheng3
1School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Insights
Child neglect (CN) is linked to poor eating habits in children. Interventions to reduce CN may improve children's diets and overall health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Child Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Child neglect (CN) is a known risk factor for eating disorders.
- Limited research exists on the prospective association between child neglect and children's eating habits (EHs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the cross-sectional and prospective associations between baseline child neglect and six common eating habits in primary schoolchildren.
- To identify potential targets for interventions aimed at improving children's dietary patterns.
Main Methods:
- Two-wave data from 1102 primary schoolchildren in Wuhan, China, were analyzed.
- Child neglect was assessed using the Child Neglect Scale.
- Eating habits (fruit, vegetable, milk, sugar-sweetened beverages, high-calorie snacks, breakfast consumption) were evaluated using Food Frequency Questionnaires.
- Generalized linear models (GLM) and Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were employed for statistical analysis.
Main Results:
- Higher baseline child neglect was associated with less frequent consumption of fruits, vegetables, milk, and breakfast, and higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and high-calorie snacks at baseline.
- At follow-up, higher child neglect remained associated with lower vegetable and breakfast consumption and higher sugar-sweetened beverage intake.
- Children with higher child neglect showed a greater potential for improvement in fruit, milk, and breakfast consumption frequency, and a steeper decrease in sugar-sweetened beverage intake over time.
Conclusions:
- Higher levels of child neglect are significantly associated with unhealthy eating habits in primary schoolchildren.
- Despite negative associations, children experiencing higher child neglect demonstrate a greater capacity for positive changes in their eating habits.
- Reducing child neglect presents a promising avenue for future public health interventions to enhance children's dietary behaviors and health outcomes.
Abstract:
Child neglect (CN) has been associated with eating disorders, but little is known about its prospective association with the eating habits (EHs) of children. This study aimed to assess the cross-sectional and prospective associations of baseline CN with six common EHs in Chinese primary schoolchildren. We analyzed two-wave data of 1102 children (aged 9.1 ± 0.5 years) in Wuhan, China. Baseline CN was investigated by the Child Neglect Scale. Baseline and follow-up EHs, including fruit, vegetables, milk, sugar-sweetened beverages, and high-calorie snack and breakfast consumption frequency, were assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaires. The association of baseline CN with baseline/follow-up EHs was analyzed by the generalized linear model (GLM). The association of baseline CN with the change of EHs from baseline to follow-up was examined by the Generalized estimating equation (GEE) model. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, pubertal stage, and body mass index, GLM indicated that higher baseline CN was associated with lower frequency of consuming fruit/vegetables/milk/breakfast and higher frequency of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages and high-calorie snacks at baseline, while it was only associated with lower frequency of vegetables/breakfast consumption and higher frequency of sugar-sweetened beverages consumption at follow-up. GEE results indicated that children with higher CN had a more rapid increase for the frequency of fruit/milk/breakfast consumption and a steeper decrease for the frequency of sugar-sweetened beverages consumption. In conclusion, higher CN was associated with unhealthy EHs. Yet simultaneously, children with higher CN have more scope to promote the health of their EHs. Targeting and reducing CN may be a promising approach for future interventions to improve subsequent EHs.
