Inequalities in Childhood Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Obesity in Italy

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Public Health
• Nutritional Epidemiology

Background:

• Unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and high body mass index (BMI) are key risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
• These risk factors are disproportionately prevalent in children from lower socio-economic groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of parental socio-economic status on children's dietary habits (fruit, vegetable, and sugar-sweetened drink consumption) and physical activity levels.
• To examine the association between socio-economic factors and childhood overweight/obesity.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the "OKkio alla Salute" (Italian COSI) cross-sectional survey (2019), involving 53,275 children across 2467 schools.
• Collected data via parent, child, teacher, and head teacher questionnaires.
• Measured children's weight and height using standard methods to classify overweight/obesity per WOF-IOTF criteria.

Main Results:

• A significant proportion of children do not meet health recommendations for diet and physical activity.
• High prevalence of overweight and obesity was observed.
• Children from lower socio-economic status families and those in Southern Italy showed a higher frequency of "less healthy" behaviors and elevated BMI.

Conclusions:

• Socio-economic disparities significantly influence children's health behaviors and weight status.
• Findings underscore the urgent need for tailored interventions to mitigate health inequalities in children.
• Addressing socio-economic determinants is crucial for effective prevention of childhood obesity and non-communicable diseases.