The Global Financial Crisis and Overweight among Children of Single Parents: A Nationwide 10-Year Birth Cohort Study in Japan

'Whatever we have is what we eat': How marginalised urban populations in the Philippines and Thailand experienced their food environments, food security and diets through COVID-19

This qualitative cross-country comparative study investigated the lived experience of marginalised urban populations (unemployed, daily wage earners/street vendors, and internal/external migrants) in Manila (Philippines) and Bangkok (Thailand) on food environments, food security and diets during COVID-19. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals (n = 59) in April-May 2022. Thematic analysis revealed loss of income and strict mobility restrictions (Philippines) as key drivers of dietary changes and hunger. Common narratives included financial hardship, loss of personal agency, and daily survival. Coping strategies included drawing on social networks, cash and food aid, and 'scheming' around restrictions. Contextualised crisis policy planning should explicitly consider the lived experience of marginalised populations for future shocks.

Overweight Prevalence among Rural Adolescents by Household Head Obesity and Socio-Economic Status in Limpopo, South Africa

Background: Childhood obesity has become the most important and growing public health problem in the world. They add to public health challenges by increasing the burden of chronic non-communicable diseases. However, in spite of its importance, there is limited literature that evaluates the prevalence of obesity among rural adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. We report the first study to present an insight into rural black overweight South African children and the physical characteristics and socio-economic status of the household head. A quantitative cross-sectional population study was conducted involving 51 selected primary villages within the DIMAMO surveillance area in the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study involved 294 adolescents, 154 girls and 140 boys, who were under the age of 18. Of these participants, 127 (43%) were within the normal weight range, and 167 (57%) were overweight. Gender made a significant difference, with more girls being overweight than boys. Adolescents who did not receive child grants and whose heads of household were 45−54 years old, poor, and overweight had a higher prevalence of obesity (p-value < 0.05). This study suggests that public health interventionists need to target both the heads of household and their children in hopes of reducing the prevalence of overweight and obese South African children. We further propose a better understanding of the causes of childhood overweight and obesity to guide policy development and implementation in rural settings.

Consumer experiences of food environments during the Covid-19 pandemic: Global insights from a rapid online survey of individuals from 119 countries

This study investigates consumer experiences of food environments and food acquisition practices during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our rapid assessment online survey featured a convenience sample of 2015 individuals from 119 countries, spanning Western Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Data collection took place in April 2020 during the second month of the pandemic. Participants were recruited via existing networks of the United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition, through social media, and by snowballing. The majority of participants were female (71.9%), from low- and middle-income countries (51.0%), and working in nutrition or healthcare (39.3%). Qualitative thematic analysis and descriptive statistics reveal a series of common global experiences related to food availability and accessibility, food prices and affordability, food acquisition practices, and food preparation and consumption. The importance of community food participation, food sharing, and resource allocation are highlighted, along with increasing awareness of healthy diets and food waste. We identify ten synergistic policy entry points to: 1) build resilient and equitable food environments resistant to stresses and shocks; 2) harness positive dietary-related behaviors manifested during the pandemic; and, 3) mitigate the projected nutrition crisis and promote sustainable healthy diets for all.

Single-parenthood and health conditions among children receiving public assistance in Japan: a cohort study

Background

Children’s healthy development is important. While governmental public assistance benefits financially troubled families, it cannot compensate for a lack of social support. Single-parenthood is a health risk factor for children owing to low-income-associated food insecurity and stress. No study has investigated the association between single-parenthood and health status in children from families receiving public assistance. This study aimed to examine the association between single-parent households and children’s health among public assistance recipients in Japan by using linkage data of two municipal public assistance databases and administrative medical assistance data.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study. Public assistance for households below the poverty line ensures income security and medical care. The study population included all children aged 15 or younger availing public assistance in January 2016. We extracted recipients’ sociodemographic factors from January 2016 and identified the incidence of childhood diseases’ diagnosis until December 2016 as the outcome, including 1) acute upper respiratory infections; 2) influenza and pneumonia; 3) injuries, including fractures; 4) intestinal infectious diseases; 5) conjunctivitis; 6) asthma; 7) allergic rhinitis; 8) dermatitis and eczema, including atopic dermatitis; and 9) diseases of the oral cavities, salivary glands, and jaws, such as tooth decay or dental caries.

Results

Among the 573 children, 383 (66.8%) lived in single-parent households. A multivariable Poisson regression, with a robust standard error estimator, showed that single-parenthood is associated with a higher prevalence of asthma (incidence ratio [IR] = 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16–2.26), allergic rhinitis (IR = 1.41; 95% CI, 1.07–1.86), dermatitis and eczema (IR = 1.81; 95% CI, 1.21–2.70), and dental diseases (IR = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.33–2.42) compared to non-single parent households, whereas little association was found between single-parenthood and children’s acute health conditions.

Conclusions

Among public assistance recipients, living in single-parent households may be a risk factor for children’s chronic diseases. The Japanese public assistance system should provide additional social care for single-parent households. Further investigations are necessary using more detailed longitudinal data, including environmental factors, the severity of children’s health conditions, contents of medical treatments, and broader socioeconomic factors.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12887-021-02682-4.

Less obesity but higher inequalities in Portuguese children: Trends of childhood obesity between 2002-2016

AIM

To observe the trends of overweight and obesity among Portuguese children from 2002 to 2016, before and during the years of the economic crisis, and compare these trends according to family's socio-economic position (SEP).

METHODS

Prevalence rates were calculated using data from six studies providing comparable estimates from 2002, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2016 for children aged 6-10-years living in the Portuguese Midlands (n = 7192; 50.2% girls). Height and weight were objectively measured; children and family characteristics were collected by standard questionnaires. A logistic regression was used to test the association between variables.

RESULTS

Between 2002 and 2016, there was a decrease in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, which reached a statistical significance for girls. The prevalence of overweight, including obesity, was high (low-SEP = 30.5%; high-SEP = 20.5%) and a widening of socio-economic inequalities was found. Socio-economically disadvantaged children had more than 2 times the odds of having obesity than children from higher-SEP, even after adjusting for sex, physical activity and screen-time.

CONCLUSION

While a decrease in overall rates of overweight and obesity was observed from 2002 to 2016, the social inequalities have been widened which suggest the need for public efforts to promote healthy weight at a population level, especially in lower socio-economic classes.

Infant Mortality Rates for Farming and Unemployed Households in the Japanese Prefectures: An Ecological Time Trend Analysis, 1999-2017

Background

Recent research suggests that Japanese inter-prefecture inequality in the risk of death before reaching 5 years old has increased since the 2000s. Despite this, there have been no studies examining recent trends in inequality in the infant mortality rate (IMR) with associated socioeconomic characteristics. This study specifically focused on household occupation, environment, and support systems for perinatal parents.

Methods

Using national vital statistics by household occupation aggregated in 47 prefectures from 1999 through 2017, we conducted multilevel negative binomial regression analysis to evaluate occupation/IMR associations and joinpoint analysis to observe temporal trends. We also created thematic maps to depict the geographical distribution of the IMR.

Results

Compared to the most privileged occupations (ie, type II regular workers; including employees in companies with over 100 employees), IMR ratios were 1.26 for type I regular workers (including employees in companies with less than 100 employees), 1.41 for the self-employed, 1.96 for those engaged in farming, and 6.48 for unemployed workers. The IMR ratio among farming households was 1.75 in the prefectures with the highest population density (vs the lowest) and 1.41 in prefectures with the highest number of farming households per 100 households (vs the lowest). Joinpoint regression showed a yearly monotonic increase in the differences and ratios of IMRs among farming households compared to type II regular worker households. For unemployed workers, differences in IMRs increased sharply from 2009 while ratios increased from 2012.

Conclusions

Inter-occupational IMR inequality increased from 1999 through 2017 in Japan. Further studies using individual-level data are warranted to better understand the mechanisms that contributed to this increase.