Relationships between Mothers’ Food- and Physical Activity- Related Habits and Level of Preschoolers’ Food Literacy and Motor Skills in Disadvantaged Urban Areas: The Training-to-Health Project
Objectives. The practice of physical activity (PA) and correct food choices since pre-school age can help in obesity prevention and that of other chronic disorders. In this process, mothers have an important role, but the relationship with their children’s lifestyle is still unclear in disadvantaged...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Medical Sciences Forum |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9992/4/1/35 |
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| author | Garden Tabacchi Luca Petrigna Giuseppe Battaglia Giovanni Angelo Navarra Antonio Palma Marianna Bellafiore |
| author_facet | Garden Tabacchi Luca Petrigna Giuseppe Battaglia Giovanni Angelo Navarra Antonio Palma Marianna Bellafiore |
| author_sort | Garden Tabacchi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives. The practice of physical activity (PA) and correct food choices since pre-school age can help in obesity prevention and that of other chronic disorders. In this process, mothers have an important role, but the relationship with their children’s lifestyle is still unclear in disadvantaged areas. The aim of this study is to explain the extent to which maternal food habits and PA level predict food-related aspects and PA practice in preschoolers from disadvantaged urban areas. Methods. It is a cross-sectional study. A total of 79 dyads of mothers and children were recruited from kindergartens. A questionnaire was compiled by mothers to collect data on: family socio-demographic aspects; mothers’ and children’s dietary intake frequencies, PA/sedentariness, weight and height; mothers’ perception on children’s food intake, children’s food literacy (FL) and Quotient of Gross Motor Development (QGMD). Results. The following associations were discovered: mothers’ and children’s food habits (beta = 0.66, <i>p</i> < 0.001); mothers’ and children’s fruit/vegetables consumption (OR 16.2, 95% CI 4.68–59.77), and intake of the other items (sugar and carbonated drinks, confectioned sweet and savory snacks, ready meals, breakfast); mothers’ education or PA level and children’s FL (beta −0.25, <i>p</i> < 0.05; beta 0.25, <i>p</i> < 0.05, respectively); mothers’ PA or sedentariness and children’s QGMD (beta 0.26, <i>p</i> < 0.05; −0.21, <i>p</i> < 0.1, respectively); mothers’ BMI and food habits (beta −0.19, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and children’s BMI (beta 0.04, <i>p</i> < 0.05); education and food habits (beta −0.34, <i>p</i> < 0.05). Mothers did not correctly perceive their children’s BMI, PA practicing and food intake (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Conclusions. To delineate the global path of the relationships between mothers’ and children’s lifestyles in disadvantaged urban areas can be useful to planning effective interventions aimed to help children and families in maintaining their healthy habits which suddenly changed during COVID-19 pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:06:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5a1d1c25c8774c8c91af4bde525c30e4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-9992 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:06:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medical Sciences Forum |
| spelling | doaj.art-5a1d1c25c8774c8c91af4bde525c30e42023-11-18T11:52:23ZengMDPI AGMedical Sciences Forum2673-99922021-01-01413510.3390/ECERPH-3-09008Relationships between Mothers’ Food- and Physical Activity- Related Habits and Level of Preschoolers’ Food Literacy and Motor Skills in Disadvantaged Urban Areas: The Training-to-Health ProjectGarden Tabacchi0Luca Petrigna1Giuseppe Battaglia2Giovanni Angelo Navarra3Antonio Palma4Marianna Bellafiore5Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Via G. Pascoli 6, 90144 Palermo, ItalySport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Via G. Pascoli 6, 90144 Palermo, ItalySport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Via G. Pascoli 6, 90144 Palermo, ItalySport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Via G. Pascoli 6, 90144 Palermo, ItalySport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Via G. Pascoli 6, 90144 Palermo, ItalySport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Via G. Pascoli 6, 90144 Palermo, ItalyObjectives. The practice of physical activity (PA) and correct food choices since pre-school age can help in obesity prevention and that of other chronic disorders. In this process, mothers have an important role, but the relationship with their children’s lifestyle is still unclear in disadvantaged areas. The aim of this study is to explain the extent to which maternal food habits and PA level predict food-related aspects and PA practice in preschoolers from disadvantaged urban areas. Methods. It is a cross-sectional study. A total of 79 dyads of mothers and children were recruited from kindergartens. A questionnaire was compiled by mothers to collect data on: family socio-demographic aspects; mothers’ and children’s dietary intake frequencies, PA/sedentariness, weight and height; mothers’ perception on children’s food intake, children’s food literacy (FL) and Quotient of Gross Motor Development (QGMD). Results. The following associations were discovered: mothers’ and children’s food habits (beta = 0.66, <i>p</i> < 0.001); mothers’ and children’s fruit/vegetables consumption (OR 16.2, 95% CI 4.68–59.77), and intake of the other items (sugar and carbonated drinks, confectioned sweet and savory snacks, ready meals, breakfast); mothers’ education or PA level and children’s FL (beta −0.25, <i>p</i> < 0.05; beta 0.25, <i>p</i> < 0.05, respectively); mothers’ PA or sedentariness and children’s QGMD (beta 0.26, <i>p</i> < 0.05; −0.21, <i>p</i> < 0.1, respectively); mothers’ BMI and food habits (beta −0.19, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and children’s BMI (beta 0.04, <i>p</i> < 0.05); education and food habits (beta −0.34, <i>p</i> < 0.05). Mothers did not correctly perceive their children’s BMI, PA practicing and food intake (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Conclusions. To delineate the global path of the relationships between mothers’ and children’s lifestyles in disadvantaged urban areas can be useful to planning effective interventions aimed to help children and families in maintaining their healthy habits which suddenly changed during COVID-19 pandemic.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9992/4/1/35motherpreschoolerfood habitsphysical activityassociationdisadvantage |
| spellingShingle | Garden Tabacchi Luca Petrigna Giuseppe Battaglia Giovanni Angelo Navarra Antonio Palma Marianna Bellafiore Relationships between Mothers’ Food- and Physical Activity- Related Habits and Level of Preschoolers’ Food Literacy and Motor Skills in Disadvantaged Urban Areas: The Training-to-Health Project Medical Sciences Forum mother preschooler food habits physical activity association disadvantage |
| title | Relationships between Mothers’ Food- and Physical Activity- Related Habits and Level of Preschoolers’ Food Literacy and Motor Skills in Disadvantaged Urban Areas: The Training-to-Health Project |
| title_full | Relationships between Mothers’ Food- and Physical Activity- Related Habits and Level of Preschoolers’ Food Literacy and Motor Skills in Disadvantaged Urban Areas: The Training-to-Health Project |
| title_fullStr | Relationships between Mothers’ Food- and Physical Activity- Related Habits and Level of Preschoolers’ Food Literacy and Motor Skills in Disadvantaged Urban Areas: The Training-to-Health Project |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationships between Mothers’ Food- and Physical Activity- Related Habits and Level of Preschoolers’ Food Literacy and Motor Skills in Disadvantaged Urban Areas: The Training-to-Health Project |
| title_short | Relationships between Mothers’ Food- and Physical Activity- Related Habits and Level of Preschoolers’ Food Literacy and Motor Skills in Disadvantaged Urban Areas: The Training-to-Health Project |
| title_sort | relationships between mothers food and physical activity related habits and level of preschoolers food literacy and motor skills in disadvantaged urban areas the training to health project |
| topic | mother preschooler food habits physical activity association disadvantage |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9992/4/1/35 |
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