Inequalities in Childhood Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Obesity in Italy
Unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and high body mass index (BMI) are preventable risk factors for non-communicable diseases throughout a person’s lifespan. The higher prevalence of these risk factors in children from lower socio-economic groups has been generally observed. The aim of this study i...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | Nutrients |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/18/3893 |
| _version_ | 1797578353726717952 |
|---|---|
| author | Angela Spinelli Laura Censi Donatella Mandolini Silvia Ciardullo Michele Antonio Salvatore Gianfranco Mazzarella Paola Nardone |
| author_facet | Angela Spinelli Laura Censi Donatella Mandolini Silvia Ciardullo Michele Antonio Salvatore Gianfranco Mazzarella Paola Nardone |
| author_sort | Angela Spinelli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and high body mass index (BMI) are preventable risk factors for non-communicable diseases throughout a person’s lifespan. The higher prevalence of these risk factors in children from lower socio-economic groups has been generally observed. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of parents’ socio-economic conditions on children’s consumption of fruit, vegetables and sugar-sweetened drinks, and inactivity, sedentary behaviour, overweight and obesity. This study used data from the sixth cross-sectional survey of the surveillance “OKkio alla Salute” (Italian COSI), involving 2467 schools and 53,275 children in 2019. All the information was collected through four questionnaires addressed to parents, children, teachers and head teachers. The weights and heights of the children were measured with standard techniques and equipment to classify overweight/obesity according to the WOF-IOTF cut-offs. The results showed a high percentage of children who do not adhere to health recommendations and a high prevalence of overweight and obesity. In particular, “less healthy” behaviours and higher BMI were more frequent in children from families with a lower socio-economic status and those residing in Southern Italy. These findings highlight the need for effective interventions that address the differences in these health-related behaviours. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:20:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e213afc41358480d92e89301e1fcc901 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:20:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-e213afc41358480d92e89301e1fcc9012023-11-19T12:17:20ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432023-09-011518389310.3390/nu15183893Inequalities in Childhood Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Obesity in ItalyAngela Spinelli0Laura Censi1Donatella Mandolini2Silvia Ciardullo3Michele Antonio Salvatore4Gianfranco Mazzarella5Paola Nardone6National Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità), Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics-Research Centre for Food and Nutrition, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178 Rome, ItalyNational Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità), Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyNational Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità), Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyNational Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità), Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyASL Napoli 3 Sud, Via Marconi 66, 80059 Torre del Greco, ItalyNational Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità), Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyUnhealthy diets, physical inactivity and high body mass index (BMI) are preventable risk factors for non-communicable diseases throughout a person’s lifespan. The higher prevalence of these risk factors in children from lower socio-economic groups has been generally observed. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of parents’ socio-economic conditions on children’s consumption of fruit, vegetables and sugar-sweetened drinks, and inactivity, sedentary behaviour, overweight and obesity. This study used data from the sixth cross-sectional survey of the surveillance “OKkio alla Salute” (Italian COSI), involving 2467 schools and 53,275 children in 2019. All the information was collected through four questionnaires addressed to parents, children, teachers and head teachers. The weights and heights of the children were measured with standard techniques and equipment to classify overweight/obesity according to the WOF-IOTF cut-offs. The results showed a high percentage of children who do not adhere to health recommendations and a high prevalence of overweight and obesity. In particular, “less healthy” behaviours and higher BMI were more frequent in children from families with a lower socio-economic status and those residing in Southern Italy. These findings highlight the need for effective interventions that address the differences in these health-related behaviours.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/18/3893fruit and vegetablessugar-sweetened beveragesphysical activityscreen timeoverweightobesity |
| spellingShingle | Angela Spinelli Laura Censi Donatella Mandolini Silvia Ciardullo Michele Antonio Salvatore Gianfranco Mazzarella Paola Nardone Inequalities in Childhood Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Obesity in Italy Nutrients fruit and vegetables sugar-sweetened beverages physical activity screen time overweight obesity |
| title | Inequalities in Childhood Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Obesity in Italy |
| title_full | Inequalities in Childhood Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Obesity in Italy |
| title_fullStr | Inequalities in Childhood Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Obesity in Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Inequalities in Childhood Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Obesity in Italy |
| title_short | Inequalities in Childhood Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Obesity in Italy |
| title_sort | inequalities in childhood nutrition physical activity sedentary behaviour and obesity in italy |
| topic | fruit and vegetables sugar-sweetened beverages physical activity screen time overweight obesity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/18/3893 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT angelaspinelli inequalitiesinchildhoodnutritionphysicalactivitysedentarybehaviourandobesityinitaly AT lauracensi inequalitiesinchildhoodnutritionphysicalactivitysedentarybehaviourandobesityinitaly AT donatellamandolini inequalitiesinchildhoodnutritionphysicalactivitysedentarybehaviourandobesityinitaly AT silviaciardullo inequalitiesinchildhoodnutritionphysicalactivitysedentarybehaviourandobesityinitaly AT micheleantoniosalvatore inequalitiesinchildhoodnutritionphysicalactivitysedentarybehaviourandobesityinitaly AT gianfrancomazzarella inequalitiesinchildhoodnutritionphysicalactivitysedentarybehaviourandobesityinitaly AT paolanardone inequalitiesinchildhoodnutritionphysicalactivitysedentarybehaviourandobesityinitaly |