Increased Health and Wellbeing in Preschools (DAGIS) Study—Differences in Children’s Energy Balance-Related Behaviors (EBRBs) and in Long-Term Stress by Parental Educational Level

This paper describes the Increased Health and Wellbeing in Preschools (DAGIS) survey process and socioeconomic status (SES) differences in children’s energy balance-related behaviors (EBRBs), meaning physical activity, sedentary and dietary behaviors, and long-term stress that serve as the basis for the intervention development. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during 2015–2016 in 66 Finnish preschools in eight municipalities involving 864 children (3–6 years old). Parents, preschool personnel, and principals assessed environmental factors at home and preschool with questionnaires. Measurement of children’s EBRBs involved three-day food records, food frequency questionnaires (FFQ), seven-day accelerometer data, and seven-day sedentary behavior diaries. Children’s long-term stress was measured by hair cortisol concentration. Parental educational level (PEL) served as an indicator of SES. Children with low PEL had more screen time, more frequent consumption of sugary beverages and lower consumption of vegetables, fruit, and berries (VFB) than those with high PEL. Children with middle PEL had a higher risk of consuming sugary everyday foods than children with high PEL. No PEL differences were found in children’s physical activity, sedentary time, or long-term stress. The DAGIS intervention, aiming to diminish SES differences in preschool children’s EBRBs, needs to have a special focus on screen time and consumption of sugary foods and beverages, and VFB.

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Clustering of energy balance-related behaviours and parental education in European preschool children: the ToyBox study

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114517003129 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 118 (12) ◽

pp. 1089-1096 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

María L. Miguel-Berges ◽

Konstantina Zachari ◽

Alba M. Santaliestra-Pasias ◽

Theodora Mouratidou ◽

Odysseas Androutsos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Preschool Children ◽

Energy Balance ◽

Educational Level ◽

Screen Time ◽

Parental Education ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

High Water ◽

Unhealthy Lifestyle ◽

Education Levels ◽

Parental Educational Level

AbstractEnergy balance-related behaviours (EBRB) are established in childhood and seem to persist through to adulthood. A lower parental educational level was associated with unhealthy behavioural patterns. The aim of the study is to identify clusters of EBRB and examine their association with preschool children’s BMI and maternal, paternal and parental education. A subsample of the ToyBox study (n 5387) conducted in six European countries was used. Six behavioural clusters (‘healthy diet and low activity’, ‘active’, ‘healthy lifestyle’, ‘high water and screen time; low fruits and vegetables (F&V) and physical activity (PA)’, ‘unhealthy lifestyle’ and ‘high F&V consumers’) emerged. The healthiest group characterised by high water and F&V consumption and high PA z scores (‘healthy lifestyle’) was more prevalent among preschool children with at least one medium- or higher-educated parent and showed markedly healthier trends for all the included EBRB. In the opposite, the ‘unhealthy lifestyle’ cluster (characterised by high soft drinks and screen time z scores, and low water, F&V and PA z scores) was more prevalent among children with lower parental, paternal and maternal education levels. OR identified that children with lower maternal, paternal and parental education levels were less likely to be allocated in the ‘healthy lifestyle’ cluster and more likely to be allocated in the ‘unhealthy lifestyle’ cluster. The ‘unhealthy lifestyle’ cluster was more prevalent among children with parents in lower parental educational levels and children who were obese. Therefore, parental educational level is one of the key factors that should be considered when developing childhood obesity prevention interventions.

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Daily School Physical Activity Is Associated with Higher Level of Physical Activity Independently of Other Socioecological Factors

Sports ◽

10.3390/sports8080105 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (8) ◽

pp. 105

Author(s):

Amanda Lahti ◽

Björn Rosengren ◽

Jan-Åke Nilsson ◽

Magnus Dencker ◽

Magnus Karlsson

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Screen Time ◽

Body Height ◽

Analysis Of Covariance ◽

Parental Attitude ◽

Physically Active ◽

Time Activity ◽

Relative Age ◽

Parental Educational Level ◽

Objectively Measured

Only one fifth of children aged 11–17 years are physically active for 60 min (min)/day. As physical activity (PA) levels track from childhood to adulthood, it is important to establish healthy PA behavior early in life. This study aims to evaluate whether daily school PA is associated with objectively measured PA independently of other socioecological factors. This study includes 209 children (120 boys) aged 9.8 ± 0.6 (mean ± SD) years from four government-funded schools in Sweden. One school including 113 children (70 boys) had 40 min of daily school PA (intervention) and three schools including 96 children (50 boys) had 60 min of school PA/week (control). PA was measured during four serial days with accelerometers. General PA (GPA) was defined as mean counts per minute (cpm). Socioecological factors were collected by questionnaires, and anthropometric traits by measurements. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test whether sex, age, relative age, body height, fat mass, lean mass, screen time activity, parental educational level, parental attitude towards PA, parental PA, sibling(s)’ PA, living in a house or apartment, and whether the child was allocated to 40 min daily school PA or 60 min school PA/week, was independently associated with GPA. Daily GPA was found to be 686.9 ± 211.9 cpm. Independently of the other included factors, daily school PA was associated with +81.8 (15.7, 147.8) cpm compared with 60 min PA/week. This study infers that daily school PA is an appropriate strategy to promote PA in 10-year-old children, independently of different socioecological factors.

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Exercise and pregnancy: information for practice nurses

Practice Nursing ◽

10.12968/pnur.2019.30.8.379 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (8) ◽

pp. 379-384

Author(s):

Clare Gordon

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Physical Activities ◽

World Health ◽

Long Term Conditions ◽

Practice Nurses ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Health Organization ◽

Diabetes And Obesity

Practice nurses are equipped to care for patients with long-term conditions such as diabetes, asthma and obesity. Therefore, says Clare Gordon, they are well placed to advise pregnant women on common physical activities they may undertake to maintain health and wellbeing It has long been recognised that regular physical activity and exercise enhance both physical and psychological wellbeing. The benefits of physical activity throughout the life span of an individual cannot be underestimated and it is no less important when a woman is planning to become, or is, pregnant. The World Health Organization (2010) note that physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality and is attributed to 6% of deaths globally. This article explores the guidance for physical activity for the general population and how it then relates to the guidance available for women who are pregnant. This article considers some of the key benefits to a range of common physical activities that pregnant women may undertake. It also explores some of the information that practice nurses should be aware of and how physical activity may impact on several long-term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes and obesity.

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Effects of the Preschool-Based Family-Involving DAGIS Intervention Program on Children’s Energy Balance-Related Behaviors and Self-Regulation Skills: A Clustered Randomized Controlled Trial

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12092599 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 2599 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Carola Ray ◽

Rejane Figuereido ◽

Henna Vepsäläinen ◽

Reetta Lehto ◽

Riikka Pajulahti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Energy Balance ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Screen Time ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Multicomponent Intervention

The study examines the effects of a preschool-based family-involving multicomponent intervention on children’s energy balance-related behaviors (EBRBs) such as food consumption, screen time and physical activity (PA), and self-regulation (SR) skills, and whether the intervention effects differed among children with low or high parental educational level (PEL) backgrounds. The Increased Health and Wellbeing in Preschools (DAGIS) intervention was conducted as a clustered randomized controlled trial, clustered at preschool level, over five months in 2017–2018. Altogether, 802 children aged 3–6 years in age participated. Parents reported children’s consumption of sugary everyday foods and beverages, sugary treats, fruits, and vegetables by a food frequency questionnaire, and screen time by a 7-day diary. Physical activity was assessed by a hip-worn accelerometer. Cognitive and emotional SR was reported in a questionnaire by parents. General linear mixed models with and without repeated measures were used as statistical methods. At follow-up, no differences were detected in EBRBs or SR skills between the intervention and control group, nor did differences emerge in children’s EBRBs between the intervention and the control groups when stratified by PEL. The improvement in cognitive SR skills among low PEL intervention children differed from low PEL control children, the significance being borderline. The DAGIS multicomponent intervention did not significantly affect children’s EBRBs or SR. Further sub-analyses and a comprehensive process evaluation may shed light on the non-significant findings.

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A Semi-Quantitative Method to Denote Generic Physical Activity Phenotypes from Long-Term Accelerometer Data – The ATLAS Index

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0063522 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. e63522 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Michael Marschollek

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Quantitative Method ◽

Accelerometer Data

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Comparison of energy balance-related behaviours and measures of body composition between Turkish adolescents in Turkey and Turkish immigrant adolescents in the Netherlands

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980013003388 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 17 (12) ◽

pp. 2692-2699 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Gamze Akbulut ◽

Mine Yildirim ◽

Nevin Sanlier ◽

Maartje M van Stralen ◽

Nilufer Acar-Tek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Composition ◽

Energy Balance ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Screen Time ◽

Vegetable Intake ◽

Fruit And Vegetable Intake ◽

Immigrant Adolescents ◽

Beverage Consumption ◽

Turkish Immigrant

AbstractObjectiveTo explore the influences of migration to a Western country on obesity and related risk factors by comparing measures of body composition and energy balance-related behaviours between Turkish adolescents in Turkey (TR-TR) and adolescents from Turkish immigrant ethnicity in the Netherlands (TR-NL).DesignCross-sectional survey or baseline intervention data from six Dutch school-based studies and one Turkish study.SettingPrimary and secondary schools.SubjectsA total of 915 (49 % girls; mean age 13·1 (sd 0·8) years) TR-TR adolescents and 433 (51 % girls; mean age 11·7 (sd 1·3) years) TR-NL adolescents were included. Outcome measures were self-reported sugar-containing beverage consumption, fruit and vegetable intake, screen time, physical activity, measured body height and weight, BMI, waist and hip circumferences, and skinfold thicknesses.ResultsOur data showed that more TR-NL adolescents were overweight (31 % v. 26 %) and obese (9 % v. 6 %) and had significantly higher mean BMI (21·1 v. 20·0 kg/m2), waist circumference (72·2 v. 71·3 cm) and suprailiac skinfold thickness (19·8 v. 13·1 mm) than TR-TR adolescents. TR-NL adolescents reported significantly higher sugar-containing beverage consumption (1173 v. 115 ml/d), less fruit and vegetable intake (295 v. 647 g/d), less screen time (253 v. 467 min/d) and higher physical activity levels (61 v. 27 min/d) than TR-TR adolescents.ConclusionsImmigrant adolescents in the Netherlands were more often overweight and had a less favourable dietary pattern than their peers in Turkey, while their physical activity and screen time patterns were more favourable. These results suggest that adolescents from Turkish immigrant ethnicity in the Netherlands have adopted lifestyles towards the host culture.

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Co-varying Patterns of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors and Their Long-Term Maintenance Among Adolescents

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.7.4.465 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 465-474 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Jihong Liu ◽

Jinseok Kim ◽

Natalie Colabianchi ◽

Andrew Ortaglia ◽

Russell R. Pate

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Young Adulthood ◽

Screen Time ◽

Latent Class ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Sedentary Behaviors ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Males And Females ◽

Term Maintenance

Background:We examined the covarying patterns of physical activity and sedentary behaviors among adolescents and their long-term maintenance.Methods:Data came from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (1995–2002). We used latent class analysis to identify distinct covarying patterns in adolescence. Logistic regression models were used to predict odds of meeting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) recommendations (≥5 bouts/week) and exceeding screen time guidelines (>2 hours/day) 6 years later based on their adolescent class profile.Results:Five classes for each gender were identified and labeled as low physical activity (PA)/low sedentary behaviors (SED), moderate (Mod) PA/high (HI) SED, Mod PA/low SED, HI PA/low SED, and HI PA (except skating/biking)/low SED. Compared with low PA/low SED, males and females in Mod PA/low SED, HI PA/low SED, and HI PA (except skating/biking)/low SED classes had increased odds of meeting MVPA recommendations in young adulthood. Mod PA/HI SED had higher odds of exceeding screen time guidelines in young adulthood (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] for females: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.00−2.81; AOR for males: 3.31, 95% CI: 1.80−6.09).Conclusions:Findings are useful to aid the development of multifactorial interventions that promote physical activity and reduce screen time among adolescents transitioning to adulthood.

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Are associations between home environment and preschool children’s sedentary time influenced by parental educational level in a cross-sectional survey?

10.21203/rs.3.rs-15428/v4 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Elviira Lehto ◽

Reetta Lehto ◽

Carola Ray ◽

Riikka Pajulahti ◽

Nina Sajaniemi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sedentary Behaviour ◽

Home Environment ◽

Educational Level ◽

Screen Time ◽

Psychological Control ◽

Sedentary Time ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Health Concern ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Parental Educational Level

Abstract Background: Childhood obesity is a major public health concern, especially in low socioeconomic groups. Sedentary time (SED) is an important predictor of obesity. To be able to diminish SED it is important to find modifiable predictors of sedentary behavior. The home environment associated with children’s SED may vary by parental socioeconomic status. This study aims to clarify the association between parental educational level (PEL) and the home environment of 3–6-year-old children, and to examine how home environment associates with children’s SED, and whether PEL modifies these associations. Methods: A cross-sectional Increased health and wellbeing in preschools (DAGIS) study was conducted in 2015–2016 in Finland. The parents (n=809) filled in questionnaires assessing PEL, and the home physical and social environment related to children’s SED. Children’s SED was measured with accelerometers, which the children (n=745) wore for one week. Results: High PEL was associated with a home environment restraining sedentary behaviour compared with low PEL. Stricter descriptive norms about screen time, considering it important to limit the child’s screen time, and satisfaction about the child’s screen time associated with children’s lower SED. The association with parental psychological control and SED was influenced by PEL. In the PEL stratified analyses, however, the associations between psychological control and SED did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Future interventions aiming to decrease SED should pay attention to relevant factors in children’s sedentary behaviour home environment. It is important to acknowledge the possible PEL differences in these factors.

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Long-Term Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Trial to Reduce Excessive Weight Gain in Infancy: Protocol for the Prevention of Overweight in Infancy (POI) Follow-Up Study at 11 Years (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.24968 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Taiwo O Adebowale ◽

Barry J Taylor ◽

Andrew R Gray ◽

Barbara C Galland ◽

Anne-Louise M Heath ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Electronic Media ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Validated Questionnaires ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Randomized Controlled

BACKGROUND The Prevention of Overweight in Infancy (POI) randomized controlled trial assessed the effect of a more conventional food, physical activity, and breastfeeding intervention, with a more novel sleep intervention on weight outcomes at 2 years of age. The trial had 58% uptake at recruitment, and retention was 86% at age 2 years, 77% at age 3.5 years, and 69% at age 5 years. Children who received the brief sleep intervention in infancy had just half the risk of obesity at 2 years of age compared to those who did not receive the sleep intervention. Importantly, this substantially reduced risk was still apparent at our follow-up at 5 years of age. OBJECTIVE The primary aim of this follow-up at age 11 years is to determine whether differences in BMI z-score and obesity risk remain apparent now that it is at least 9 years since cessation of the sleep intervention. Several secondary outcomes of interest will also be examined including 24-hour movement patterns, mental health and wellbeing, and use of electronic media, particularly prior to sleep. METHODS We will seek renewed consent from all 734 of the original 802 POI families who expressed interest in further involvement. Children and parent(s) will attend 2 clinics and 1 home appointment to obtain measures of anthropometry and body composition (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan), 24-hour movement patterns (sleep, sedentary time, and physical activity measured using an AX3 accelerometer), mental health and wellbeing (validated questionnaires), family functioning (validated questionnaires), use of electronic media (wearable and stationary cameras, questionnaires), and diet and eating behaviors (24-hour recall, questionnaires). RESULTS This follow-up study has full ethical approval from the University of Otago Human Ethics Committee (H19/109) and was funded in May 2019 by the Health Research Council of New Zealand (grant 19/346). Data collection commenced in June 2020, and first results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2022. CONCLUSIONS Long-term outcomes of early obesity intervention are rare. Despite the growing body of evidence linking insufficient sleep with an increased risk of obesity in children, interventions targeting improvements in sleep have been insufficiently explored. Our initial follow-up at 5 years of age suggested that an early sleep intervention may have long-term benefits for effective weight management in children. Further analysis in our now preteen population will provide much-needed evidence regarding the long-term effectiveness of sleep interventions in infancy as an obesity prevention approach. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00892983; https://tinyurl.com/y3xepvxf INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/24968

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Prospective Association of Maternal Educational Level with Child’s Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Diet Quality

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu14010160 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 160

Author(s):

Gabriela Cárdenas-Fuentes ◽

Clara Homs ◽

Catalina Ramírez-Contreras ◽

Charlotte Juton ◽

Rafael Casas-Esteve ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Educational Level ◽

Screen Time ◽

Fast Food ◽

Maternal Education ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Unhealthy Lifestyle ◽

Baked Goods ◽

Maternal Educational Level

Evidence has identified unhealthy lifestyle behaviors as the main contributors to obesity in children, so it is essential to identify factors that could influence children’s lifestyles. The objective of the present study was to analyze the association of baseline maternal educational level with child’s physical activity, screen time, and dietary habits at follow-up. This community-based cohort study was carried out between 2012 and 2014 and included 1405 children aged 8 to 10 years old. Maternal educational level was used as an indicator of child’s socioeconomic status. Physical activity, screen time, and dietary habits were assessed by validated questionnaires. The odds of having commercially baked goods for breakfast [OR 1.47 (95% CI 1.03 to 2.10)], going more than once a week to a fast-food restaurant [OR 1.64 (95% CI 1.20 to 2.26)], and taking sweets and candys several times a day [OR 3.23 (95% CI 2.14 to 4.87) were significantly higher among children whose mothers had a lower educational level compared to their peers whose mothers had a higher level. These associations held for taking sweets and candy several times a day after additional adjustment for the corresponding dietary behavior at baseline. Maternal educational level was inversely associated (p < 0.001) with child’s screen time at follow up and being in the lowest maternal educational category was associated with an increased odds of surpassing the maximum recommended time of screen time of 120 min per day (OR (95% CI) 1.43 (1.07 to 1.90), p = 0.016). Maternal education is a predictor for unhealthy dietary habits and high screen time in children.

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