How does parents' social support impact children's health practice? Examining a mediating role of health knowledge

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree: is there a connection between the body mass indexes of adolescents and their parents?

OBJECTIVES

Adolescent cases suffering from obesity tend to increase in middle-income countries. This study focused on the relationship between adolescent obesity and parents body mass index (BMI) and the variables of satisfaction, diet implementation and sports promotion.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents living in the Mediterranean region (n=522, evaluated n=488). Anthropometric measurements were taken by expert researchers and data were collected using face-to-face survey technique.

RESULTS

The average BMI of the adolescents and parents' was found to be above normal values. In adolescents, there was a positive and very good correlation with maternal BMI (r=0.711, p<0.01), a positive and moderate correlation with paternal BMI (r=0.512, p<0.01); In girl adolescents, it was positively and very well with maternal BMI (r=0.731, p<0.01), positively and moderately with father BMI (r=0.549, p<0.01); In boy adolescents, a positive and good correlation was found with maternal BMI (r=0.698, p<0.01), and a positive and moderate correlation with paternal BMI (r=0.459, p<0.01). In the analyzes comparing those who thought obesity threatened them (group 1) and those who did not think it threatened them (group 2), there was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of BMI distribution, satisfaction with body weight, diet program implementation, diet recommendation by the family and sports encouragement (p<0, 05).

CONCLUSIONS

In a cross-sectional perspective paternal obesity is also significant in adolescents and the correlation with maternal obesity is relatively more effective. Also includes evidence of individual efforts and parental contribution in adolescents who see obesity as a threat.

Adherence to 24-hour integrated activity guidelines among infants, toddlers and preschool children in Singapore

This study examined children's adherence to the Singapore Integrated 24-Hour Activity Guidelines for Early Childhood in infants, toddlers and preschoolers aged 0-6 years. A total of 901 caregivers, comprising 219 infants, 379 toddlers, and 303 preschoolers, provided information regarding their children's physical activity (PA), screen viewing time (SVT), and sleep durations on both weekdays and weekends. Meeting the 24-hour integrated activity guidelines was defined as follows: for infants ≥ 30 minutes per day of tummy time or floor-based play; zero SVT; total sleep of 14-17 hours per day for ages 0-3 months, 12-16 hours per day for ages 4-11 months; for toddlers ≥ 180 minutes of total PA per day; zero SVT under 2 years; <1 hour for ages 2 to less than 3 years; and a total sleep of 11-14 hours per day; for preschoolers ≥ 180 minutes of total PA per day; SVT <1 hour per day; total sleep of 10-13 hours per day for those aged 3-5 years, and 10-11 hours per day for 6-year-olds. Chi-squared tests were used to examine the differences in guideline adherence between weekdays and weekends. Compared to weekdays, during weekends there was a higher proportion of toddlers and preschoolers adhering to the PA guidelines (68.9% vs 50.1%; 78.9% vs 55.4%, respectively, p<0.05), and a lower proportion of toddlers adhering to SVT (38.8% vs 21.8%; p = 0.001). There was a declining adherence to all three activity guidelines as age groups progressed from infants (44.7%) to toddlers (15.8%) and then to preschoolers (9.4%). Concurrently, there was a decrease in adherence to SVT recommendations across the age groups, with adherence rates being highest among infants (83.1%), followed by toddlers (15.8%), and preschoolers (9.4%). Decreasing compliance with all three guidelines, coupled with a corresponding decline in adherence to SVT guidelines as children transition from toddlerhood to preschool age, is a cause for concern. This underscores the need for proactive efforts to educate caregivers about reducing or eliminating SVT among infants and young children.

Is health literacy of adolescent athletes' parents whose children belonged to sports clubs related to their children's intention to receive medications, vaccines, supplements, and energy drinks? A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Adolescent athletes' values ​regarding health behaviors, including their attitudes toward doping, are largely derived from those of their parents. Therefore, clarifying the factors that affect parents' intentions regarding their children's medicine intake and nutrition can help elucidate the process of forming values ​​of healthy behaviors in young athletes.

METHODS

Between March 8 and March 9, 2021, an online questionnaire survey was conducted via an Internet research company; data from 2,000 residents in Japan were collected. Participants were male and female residents aged 30-59 years with children in elementary or high school and belonging to sports clubs. The survey items included respondent's and child's basic information, respondent's health literacy, and level of sports in which the respondent and child were (or are) engaged. Respondents were also asked if they would like their children to receive prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, herbal medicines, vaccines, supplements, or energy drinks. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between respondents' basic information and health literacy and their intention to receive prescription and over-the-counter drugs, herbal medicines, vaccines, supplements, and energy drinks.

RESULTS

Higher parental health literacy was associated with higher children's willingness to receive prescription drugs (odds ratio [OR] = 1.025, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.016-1.035), over-the-counter drugs (OR = 1.012, 95% CI: 1.003-1.021), prescription herbal medicines (OR = 1.021, 95% CI: 1.021-1.030), over-the-counter herbal medicines (OR = 1.012, 95% CI: 1.003-1.021), and vaccines (OR = 1.025, 95% CI: 1.016-1.035). Conversely, the children's intention to receive energy drinks (OR = 0.990, 95% CI: 0.980-1.000) decreased significantly. As the child's athletic level increased, parents' willingness for their children to receive oral prescription medicines decreased (OR = 0.886, 95% CI: 0.791-0.992) and that to receive supplements (OR = 1.492, 95% CI: 1.330-1.673) and energy drinks significantly increased (OR = 1.480, 95% CI: 1.307-1.676).

CONCLUSION

Health literacy of adolescent athletes' parents is associated with their children's willingness to receive medicines. Healthcare providers should counsel parents of adolescent athletes to allow their children to receive necessary drug treatments and prevent doping violations caused by supplement intake.