One-child policy, weight status, lifestyles and parental concerns in Chinese children: a nationwide cross-sectional survey

AbstractObjectivesTo describe parental concerns about their child's weight, to determine the proportion of parents taking preventive action to avoid obesity in their children and the predictors of taking preventive action, and to describe the strategies adopted by parents.DesignA cross-sectional survey was conducted. Children's heights and weights were measured, and parents completed a questionnaire that included measures of their own weight status, perceptions of their child's weight, concerns about their child's current weight and future weight as an adolescent and adult, and the strategies used to prevent obesity.SettingThe study was conducted in Melbourne, Australia.SubjectsA total of 291 families of children aged 5–6 years and 919 families of children aged 10–12 years participated.ResultsEighty-nine per cent of parents of overweight 5–6-year-olds and 63% of parents of overweight 10–12-year-olds were unaware their child was overweight. Seventy-one per cent of parents of overweight 5–6-year-olds and 43% of parents of overweight 10–12-year-olds were not concerned about their child's current weight. Although 31% of parents of 5–6-year-olds and 43% of parents of 10–12-year-olds were taking action to prevent unhealthy weight gain in their children, less-educated parents were less likely to do so.ConclusionsPublic health programmes are required to raise parental recognition of childhood overweight and of related risk behaviours, and to provide parents with practical strategies to prevent unhealthy weight gain in their children.

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Awareness and knowledge about weight status and management: results from the 1 d sensitization campaign ‘Obesity Day’ in northern Italy

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s136898001100005x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 14 (10) ◽

pp. 1813-1822 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Michela Barichella ◽

Alexis E Malavazos ◽

Giuseppe Fatati ◽

Emanuele Cereda

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Weight Management ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Weight Control ◽

Weight Status ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Obese Adults ◽

Cross Sectional

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the awareness and knowledge about weight status and its management.DesignA 1 d cross-sectional survey. Basic anthropometric assessments (weight, height, BMI and waist circumference) and a self-administered questionnaire were considered.SettingNineteen Clinical Nutrition or Endocrinology and Metabolic Disorders Units or Dietetics Services in the Italian region of Lombardy.SubjectsAll adults attending the ‘Obesity Day’ initiative.ResultsA total of 914 participants (605 female and 309 male) were recruited. Although most of the participants (83·5 %) considered obesity to be a disease, 38·5 % were likely to misperceive their weight status. In particular, 38·8 % of normal-weight adults believed themselves to be overweight, whereas 71·1 % and 37·5 % of classes I and II/III obese adults classified themselves as being overweight and mildly obese, respectively. However, most of the overweight (90·2 %), mildly (96·8 %) and moderately/severely obese adults (99·1 %) recognized the need to lose weight. In all, 37·8 % of the sample underestimated the role of physical activity in weight management. Interestingly, only 17·2 % of dieters (previous or current) declared being advised by their doctor to lose weight. Multivariate models revealed that higher age, low education and higher BMI were important determinants of poor weight control and management. In addition, previous dieting appeared not to provide better knowledge, whereas the role of physical activity was recognized mainly by those practising it.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that in Italy knowledge about weight management should be improved not only in the general population but also among health-care professionals. To confirm this finding, there is now the rationale for a nationally representative survey. New educational programmes can be designed on the basis of the information collected.

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Associations of Sleep Problems With Asthma/wheeze and Allergic Rhinitis Among Chinese Children Aged 0-6 Years: a Cross-sectional Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-930049/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ying Ma ◽

Jie Tang ◽

Yuqi Wen ◽

Yan Hu ◽

Jingjing Liang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Allergic Rhinitis ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Chinese Children ◽

Physical Growth ◽

School Age Children ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Short Sleep Duration ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Nocturnal Awakening

Abstract Background: Asthma/wheeze and allergic rhinitis are common among pre-school age children, which urgently need to identify more modifiable risk factors for prevention. The aim of this study was to examine the associations of sleep problems with asthma/wheeze and allergic rhinitis among Chinese children aged 0-6 years. Methods: This cross-sectional survey, a part of the National Survey on Physical Growth and Development of Children in nine cities of China (NSPGDC), was conducted in Guangzhou, China. Children aged 0-6 years were randomly selected from 29 communities and 32 kindergartens. Asthma/wheeze, allergic rhinitis and sleep problem were evaluated by a valid questionnaire which was completed by participants’ parent(s). Binary logistic regression models were employed to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for asthma/wheeze and allergic rhinitis according to short sleep duration, late bedtime and frequent nocturnal awaking. Results: We included 13376 children aged 0~6 years. Of these, 371 (2.8%) diagnosed as asthma/wheeze, and 610 (4.6%) diagnosed as allergic rhinitis. Frequent nocturnal awakening was associated with asthma/wheeze and allergic rhinitis, adjusted OR were 1.53 (95% CI: 1.20~1.94) and 1.39(1.14-1.71), respectively. Further subgroup analysis showed the association of frequent nocturnal awakening with asthma/wheeze and allergic rhinitis differed by age. No significant associations of short duration and late bedtime with asthma/wheeze and allergic rhinitis were identified. Conclusions: Our data suggested that frequent nocturnal awakening was associated with asthma/wheeze and allergic rhinitis, but this association differed by age. Further studies are warranted to confirm its’ causal association and to understand the underlying mechanisms.

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Intention to have a second child among Chinese women one year after the implementation of selective two-child policy: a cross-sectional survey

The Lancet ◽

10.1016/s0140-6736(16)32023-2 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 388 ◽

pp. S96 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Xianglong Xu ◽

Hanxiao Zuo ◽

Yunshuang Rao ◽

Lei Zhang ◽

Lian Lian Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chinese Women ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Second Child ◽

Child Policy ◽

One Year

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THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MENSTRUAL CYCLE CHARACTERISTICS AND PERCEIVED BODY IMAGE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY OF POLISH FEMALE ADOLESCENTS

Journal of Biosocial Science ◽

10.1017/s0021932015000292 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 374-390 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Maria Kaczmarek ◽

Sylwia Trambacz-Oleszak

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Menstrual Cycle ◽

Adolescent Girls ◽

Weight Status ◽

Cycle Phase ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Negative Body Image ◽

Ideal Body Image ◽

Self Discrepancy

SummaryThe increasing prevalence of negative body perceptions among adolescent girls and the tendency towards wishing to be thinner have become a cultural norm in Western culture. Adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to developing a negative body image due to physical and sexual changes occurring during puberty. This study aimed to evaluate the association between different measures of body image perceptions and different phases of the menstrual cycle after controlling for weight status and other potential confounders in Polish adolescent girls aged 12–18 years. Three-hundred and thirty participants of a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2009, normally cycling and with no eating disorders, completed a background questionnaire and the Stunkard Figure Rating Scale, and their anthropometric measurements were collected. The dependent outcome variables were measures of body image (actual body image, ideal body image and ideal-self discrepancy) and dichotomous body image perception (satisfied versus dissatisfied) adjusted for other predictor factors: socio-demographic variables, menstrual history and cycle phases, and weight status. One-way ANOVA indicated that weight status, age at menarche and menstrual cycle phase were associated with actual body image and rate of ideal-self discrepancy. Ideal body image was associated with weight status and menstrual cycle phase. General logistic regression models were constructed to evaluate associations of body dissatisfaction and all potential predictor variables. The final selected model of the multiple logistic regression analysis using the backward elimination procedure revealed that adjusted for other factors, negative body image was significantly associated with different phases of the menstrual cycle (ptrend=0.033) and increasing body weight status (ptrend=0.0007). The likelihood of body dissatisfaction was greatest during the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle (OR=2.38; 95% CI 1.06, 5.32) and among girls in obesity class I (OR=8.04; 95% CI 2.37, 27.26). The study confirmed the association between body image dissatisfaction in adolescent girls and different phases of the menstrual cycle after controlling for weight status. The issue of negative body self-image is not only of cognitive, but also of practical value as understanding better the factors contributing to the formation of a negative body image may be instrumental in developing preventive health programmes targeted at young people.

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Parental concerns and uptake of childhood vaccines in rural Tanzania – a mixed methods study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-020-09598-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lavanya Vasudevan ◽

Joy Noel Baumgartner ◽

Sara Moses ◽

Esther Ngadaya ◽

Sayoki Godfrey Mfinanga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Vaccine Coverage ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Parental Concerns ◽

Childhood Vaccines

Abstract Background Vaccine hesitancy has been recognized as an important barrier to timely vaccinations around the world, including in sub-Saharan Africa. In Tanzania, 1 in 4 children is not fully vaccinated. The objective of this mixed methods study was to describe and contextualize parental concerns towards vaccines in Tanzania. Methods Between 2016 and 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional survey (n = 134) and four focus group discussions (FGDs, n = 38) with mothers of children under 2 years of age residing in Mtwara region in Southern Tanzania. The survey and FGDs assessed vaccination knowledge and concerns and barriers to timely vaccinations. Vaccination information was obtained from government-issued vaccination cards. Results In the cross-sectional survey, 72% of mothers reported missed or delayed receipt of vaccines for their child. Although vaccine coverage was high, timeliness of vaccinations was lower and varied by vaccine. Rural mothers reported more vaccine-related concerns compared to urban mothers; literacy and access to information were identified as key drivers of the difference. Mothers participating in FGDs indicated high perceived risk of vaccine-preventable illnesses, but expressed concerns related to poor geographic accessibility, unreliability of services, and missed opportunities for vaccinations resulting from provider efforts to minimize vaccine wastage. Conclusions Findings from our cross-sectional survey indicate the presence of vaccination delays and maternal concerns related to childhood vaccines in Tanzania. In FGDs, mothers raised issues related to convenience more often than issues related to vaccine confidence or complacency. Further research is necessary to understand how these issues may contribute to the emergence and persistence of vaccine hesitancy and to identify effective mitigation strategies.

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Body size dissatisfaction among young Chinese children in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional study

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980014000810 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 1067-1074 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Gemma Knowles ◽

Fiona Chun Man Ling ◽

G Neil Thomas ◽

Peymane Adab ◽

Alison M McManus

Keyword(s):

Body Image ◽

Hong Kong ◽

Body Size ◽

Weight Status ◽

Strong Predictor ◽

Chinese Children ◽

Size Perception ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Female Sex ◽

Body Size Dissatisfaction

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the potential predictors of body size dissatisfaction in Chinese children.DesignThe Child’s Body Image Scale was used to assess body size perception and dissatisfaction. BMI was calculated from objectively measured height and weight. Predictors of body size dissatisfaction were examined by logistic regression analysis.SettingHong Kong, China.SubjectsSix hundred and twenty children (53 % boys, aged 6·1–12·9 years) from a state-run primary school.ResultsFemale sex (adjusted OR (AOR)=1·91; 95 % CI 1·32, 2·76), age (AOR=2·62; 95 % CI 1·65, 4·16 for 8–10 years; AOR=2·16; 95 % CI 1·38, 3·38 for >10 years), overweight (AOR=6·23; 95 % CI 3·66, 10·60) and obesity (AOR=19·04; 95 % CI 5·64, 64·32) were positively associated with desire to be thinner. Size misperception was a strong predictor of body size dissatisfaction, irrespective of actual weight status (AOR=1·90; 95 % CI 1·02, 3·54 for overestimation; AOR=0·43; 95 % CI 0·27, 0·67 for underestimation).ConclusionsBody size dissatisfaction is prevalent among Chinese children as young as 6 years. Female sex, age, overweight, obesity and overestimation of size were associated with increased desire to be thinner. These findings emphasise the importance of preventing body image issues from an early age.

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Obesity in children with high-function autism

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(11)72022-3 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S2) ◽

pp. 313-313

Author(s):

R. Kordi ◽

A.H. Memari

Keyword(s):

Psychological Health ◽

Weight Status ◽

Healthy Weight ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Normal Children ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

High Intelligence ◽

Prevalence Of Obesity ◽

Few Data ◽

Obesity In Children

IntroductionChildhood obesity is a major issue and puts children at risk of physical and psychological health complications. Some studies have evaluated obesity in autism in different countries. However there is few data on the rate of obesity in high-function autism (HFA).AimTo evaluate the weight status of children with HFA in IranMethodsThis cross-sectional survey was carried out in autism specific schools of Tehran in 2010. In total 113 children with HFA ages 6–15 were evaluated. They were classified according to WHO references (2007) for body mass index (BMI) for age and sex as obese, overweight, healthy weight and underweight. We then examined the associations of weight status of these children with some variables and comorbodities.ResultsThe prevalence of obesity in children with HFA was 27.0%, overweight 13.0% and underweight 7.0%. There was a significant correlation between age and BMI (r = 0.26, Pvalue < 0.01). Underweight was associated with neurologic comorbidities (p < 0.05). The rate of obesity has not correlated with some other medical and psychiatric comorbidities, as well as sex, and parents’ weight status.ConclusionsPrevalence of obesity in autistic children with high intelligence profile is high and at the same levels of both normal children and children with autistic spectrum disorders.

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Prevalence of low birth weight and macrosomia estimates based on heaping adjustment method in China

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-94375-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Liping Shen ◽

Jie Wang ◽

Yifan Duan ◽

Zhenyu Yang

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Mainland China ◽

Policy Decision ◽

Chinese Children ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Prevalence Estimates ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Weight Data

AbstractLow birth weight (< 2500 g; LBW) and macrosomia (> 4000 g) are both adverse birth outcomes with high health risk in short- or long-term period. However, national prevalence estimates of LBW and macrosomia varied partially due to methodology limits in China. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of LBW and macrosomia after taking potential birth weight heaping into consideration in Chinese children under 6 years in 2013. The data were from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey in mainland China in 2013, which consists of 32,276 eligible records. Birth weight data and socio-demographic information was collected using standard questionnaires. Birth weight distributions were examined and LBW and macrosomia estimates were adjusted for potential heaping. The overall prevalence of LBW of Chinese children younger than 6 years was 5.15% in 2013, with 4.57% in boys and 5.68% in girls. LBW rate was higher for children who were minority ethnicity, had less educated mothers, mothers aged over 35 years or under 20 years, or were in lower income household than their counterparts. The overall prevalence of macrosomia of Chinese children younger than 6 years was 7.35% in 2013, with 8.85% in boys and 5.71% in girls. The prevalence of macrosomia increased with increasing maternal age, educational level and household income level. Both LBW and macrosomia varied among different regions and socio-economic groups around China. It is found that estimates based on distribution adjustment might be more accurate and could be used as the foundation for policy-decision and health resource allocation. It would be needed to take potential misclassification of birth weight data arising from heaping into account in future studies.

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