Parental health status in relation to the nutrition literacy level of their children: Results from an epidemiological study in 1728 Greek students

BACKGROUND: Children’s dietary behaviors seem tract into adulthood and as a result preventing strategies to establish healthy behaviors from early stages of life are needed. Nutrition knowledge is essential for behavioral change. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the status of parental health related to their children’s nutrition literacy level through their perceptions mainly of healthy eating attitudes METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Greece among 1,728 schoolchildren aged 10–12 years old. The sample was collected in the school setting during the school years of 2014–2016. Children completed anonymously a self-administered questionnaire about their knowledge and perceptions of a healthy diet while their parents completed another suitable questionnaire about family health status. RESULTS: Paternal BMI status and hypertension were inversely associated with the level of nutrition literacy of their children by b = –0.043 (95%CI: (–0.082, –0.003; p = 0.036) and by b = –0.600 (95%CI: –1.181, –0.019; p = 0.043), respectively. Parental health status, specifically, paternal diabetes and maternal dyslipidemia were associated with children’s higher level of nutrition literacy by b = 0.729 (95%CI: 0.002, 1.456; p = 0.049) and by b = 0.730 (95%CI: 0.086, 1.374; p = 0.026), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Parental health status partially affects, either negatively or positively, the level of nutrition literacy of their children. This impact depends on whether parents follow nutritional recommendations to improve their health.

Parental health status and children’s eating behaviors: An epidemiological study in 1728 Greek 10-12 years old students

Although the parental influence on children’s dietary habits has been widely studied, little is known about the effect of parental health status on children’s dietary behavior. Thus, the association between the parental burden of cardiometabolic disease and its impact on children’s eating habits and behaviors was examined. Material and Methods: 1,728 children aged 10-12 years old along with one of their parents were enrolled in a cross-sectional study conducted during 2014-2016. Among others, children’s dietary habits and parental medical history were recorded. Children’s adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) was evaluated through the KIDMED score while the parental health status was assessed through a cardiometabolic risk score calculated for this study. The working sample was 1,133 children with a recorded parental health status. Results: Most parents (92.1%) reported at most 2 cardiometabolic risk factors including overweight/obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Ordinal logistic regression analyses showed a significant association between children’s eating habits and adherence to the MD with the parental burden of cardiovascular disease. Children showed 6% higher odds of higher adherence to the MD (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01-1.12) and 54% lower odds of not having breakfast at all (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.27-0.80) for a one-unit increase in the cardiometabolic risk score. The stratified analysis revealed a significant association between KIDMED score and CVD risk score only among boys (OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.01-1.18). Conclusions: Parental health status is positively associated with children’s dietary behavior and adherence to the MD indicating an additional source of influence.

The impact of parental health status on children’s eating habits and behaviors: A narrative review

Although the problem of childhood obesity has been broadly documented over the last decades and characterized as one of the most significant problems of public health, the percentage of overweight and obese children remains extremely high. It is undeniable that parents contribute significantly in shaping children’s dietary behavior and can be a valuable factor for implementing effective strategies. However the influence of parental health status on children’s eating habits is another aspect that remains almost uninvestigated. The aim of the study is to examine to what extend parental diet-related chronic diseases affect their own but also their children dietary behavior. A literature review was conducted focusing on studies published within the last decade. The majority of studies examined,indicated a moderate to very low adherence to dietary guidelines for a specific disease, as a result children’s dietary behavior is not favorably affected.Therefore we should emphasize on the importance of healthy dietary modeling especially in case of a family history of disease.

WORRIES OF OLD-AGE SUPPORT FOR PARENTS AND THEMSELVES: VIEWS FROM OLDER BACHELORS IN RURAL CHINA

Due to China’s gender imbalance, it is estimated that more than 30 million adult males were unable to get married. The old-age support for older unmarried sons (so-called forced bachelors) and their parents faces a significant challenge. Using data from a survey in Central and Western rural China, the present study examined the impact of family structure and health status on the worries about old-age support for themselves and their parents from the perspective of older unmarried sons. The sample included 359 older unmarried sons with rural Hukou (housing registration) status. The age of he sample ranges from 28 to 51. The results showed that 52.64% and 54.8% of respondents were worried about their own and their parents’ old-age support, respectively. Ordered logistic regression showed that having a sister(s) was negatively related to worries about their own and parents’ old-age support. Those with living mothers had less worries than their counterparts, and those who had a brother(s) had less worries about their parents’ old age support. Moreover, having any brothers who were also older unmarried sons was positively related to worries about their own and parents’ old-age support. Older unmarried sons who had two frail old parents had more worries for their parents’ old-age support than those whose parents were physically independent. The study highlights the importance of family structure and parental health status as important factors in worries over old-age support in China.

An Inquiry into Child Health and its Determinants: Application of Ordered Probit Model

This study analyzes determinants of child health 0 to 5 years old and compares those with the determinants of adolescent health 10 to19 years old. The particular focus is to test whether there exists socio-economic inequality and regional disparity in health of children and adolescents. It utilizes third wave of Nepal Living Standard Survey (NLSS-III) and further exploit ordered probit model to analyze the determinants. The results show the absence of socio-economic inequality in child health while sits presence in adolescent health. It is argued that factors other than income or socio-economic status like medical care, child rearing and breastfeeding matter for child health. However, the study finds regional disparity more pronounced in the health of children than adolescents. This difference may be attributed to the low-level of child-centered health awareness, high cost of access to health service facilities, and limited health service facilities specializing on child health in some regions. In addition, the study finds that caste, age of the child, and parental health status as major determinants of child health while age of the adolescent, education, and their parental health status as major determinants of adolescent health. Further, disaggregation of parental health status reveals that mother's health status matter more. Finally, some recommendations are made for improving child health.

A Prospective Twin Registry in Southwestern China (TRiSC): Exploring the Effects of Genetic and Environmental Factors on Cognitive and Behavioral Development and Mental Health Wellbeing in Children and Adolescents

The goals, prospects and methods of the Prospective Twin Registry in Southwestern China (TRiSC) are described. The aim of this study is to measure children's behavioral development and psychopathology from phenotypic, genetic and environmental perspectives. It focuses on measuring children's behavior and psychopathology from child self-reports, as well as parental and teacher informant reports, and relating it to the children's general cognitive abilities, and to the parenting style in the family. Other variables of interest such as children's temperament and parental health status are discussed, as well as plans for further research.