IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i5p4240-d1082230.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cross-Sectional Analysis of Family Factors Associated with Lifestyle Habits in a Sample of Italian Primary School Children: The I-MOVE Project

Author

Listed:
  • Francesco Sanmarchi

    (Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Alice Masini

    (Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Carolina Poli

    (Department of Medical and Surgical Science, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy)

  • Anna Kawalec

    (Department and Clinic of Paediatric Nephrology, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland)

  • Francesco Esposito

    (Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy)

  • Susan Scrimaglia

    (Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy)

  • Lawrence M. Scheier

    (LARS Research Institute, Inc., Sun City, AZ 85351, USA
    Prevention Strategies, Greensboro, NC 27410, USA)

  • Laura Dallolio

    (Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy)

  • Rossella Sacchetti

    (Department of Education Studies “Giovanni Maria Bertin”, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy)

Abstract

The acquisition of healthy dietary and exercise habits during childhood is essential for maintaining these behaviors during adulthood. In early childhood, parents have a profound influence on a child’s lifestyle pursuits, serving as both role models and decision-makers. The present study examines family factors as potential contributors to healthy lifestyle habits and their child’s overall diet quality among a sample of primary school children. A secondary aim is to evaluate several aspects of diet quality using the Mediterranean adaptation of the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I). This cross-sectional study involved 106 children enrolled in a primary school located in Imola, Italy. Data were collected from October to December 2019 using an interactive tool used to assess parent characteristics, children’s lifestyle, food frequency (ZOOM-8 questionnaire), and actigraph accelerometers to capture children’s physical activity and sedentary behavior. Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (expressed by KIDMED Index) was positively associated with fathers’ educational level, parental sport participation, and the parent’s overall nutritional knowledge. Higher mothers’ educational level was inversely associated with children’s leisure screen time. Parents’ nutritional knowledge was positively related to children’s average daily minutes of organized sport activities. The better score for DQI-I was for consumption adequacy, followed by variety and moderation. The lowest score was for overall balance. The present study reinforces the importance of family factors in young children’s lifestyle choices, particularly their dietary, leisure time, and exercise habits.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Sanmarchi & Alice Masini & Carolina Poli & Anna Kawalec & Francesco Esposito & Susan Scrimaglia & Lawrence M. Scheier & Laura Dallolio & Rossella Sacchetti, 2023. "Cross-Sectional Analysis of Family Factors Associated with Lifestyle Habits in a Sample of Italian Primary School Children: The I-MOVE Project," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-17, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4240-:d:1082230
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4240/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4240/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Amy Hsin & Christina Felfe, 2014. "When Does Time Matter? Maternal Employment, Children’s Time With Parents, and Child Development," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(5), pages 1867-1894, October.
    2. Mahmoud Zaqout & Krishna Vyncke & Luis A. Moreno & Pilar Miguel-Etayo & Fabio Lauria & Denes Molnar & Lauren Lissner & Monica Hunsberger & Toomas Veidebaum & Michael Tornaritis & Lucia A. Reisch & Kar, 2016. "Determinant factors of physical fitness in European children," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 61(5), pages 573-582, June.
    3. Alice Masini & Marcello Lanari & Sofia Marini & Alessia Tessari & Stefania Toselli & Rita Stagni & Maria Cristina Bisi & Laura Bragonzoni & Davide Gori & Alessandra Sansavini & Andrea Ceciliani & Laur, 2020. "A Multiple Targeted Research Protocol for a Quasi-Experimental Trial in Primary School Children Based on an Active Break Intervention: The Imola Active Breaks (I-MOVE) Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-16, August.
    4. George Antonogeorgos & Demosthenes Panagiotakos & Dimitra Grigoropoulou & Anastasios Papadimitriou & Michael Anthracopoulos & Polyxeni Nicolaidou & Kostas Priftis, 2013. "The mediating effect of parents’ educational status on the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and childhood obesity: the PANACEA study," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 58(3), pages 401-408, June.
    5. Gerhard Ruedl & Martin Niedermeier & Lukas Wimmer & Vivien Ploner & Elena Pocecco & Armando Cocca & Klaus Greier, 2021. "Impact of Parental Education and Physical Activity on the Long-Term Development of the Physical Fitness of Primary School Children: An Observational Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-13, August.
    6. Francesco Esposito & Francesco Sanmarchi & Sofia Marini & Alice Masini & Susan Scrimaglia & Emanuele Adorno & Giorgia Soldà & Fabrizio Arrichiello & Filippo Ferretti & Marilisa Rangone & Francesca Cel, 2022. "Weekday and Weekend Differences in Eating Habits, Physical Activity and Screen Time Behavior among a Sample of Primary School Children: The “Seven Days for My Health” Project," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-12, April.
    7. Pooja S. Tandon & Emily Kroshus & Katharine Olsen & Kimberly Garrett & Pingping Qu & Julie McCleery, 2021. "Socioeconomic Inequities in Youth Participation in Physical Activity and Sports," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-10, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Moisés Mebarak & Juan Mendoza & Duban Romero & José Amar, 2024. "Healthy Life Habits in Caregivers of Children in Vulnerable Populations: A Cluster Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(5), pages 1-13, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Iryna Hayduk & Maude Toussaint‐Comeau, 2022. "Determinants of noncognitive skills: Mediating effects of siblings' interaction and parenting quality," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 40(4), pages 677-694, October.
    2. Ylenia Brilli & Simone Moriconi, 2023. "Culture of Origin, Parenting, and Household Labor Supply," Working Papers 2023: 17, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    3. Richard Gearhart & Lyudmyla Sonchak-Ardan & Raphael Thibault, 2023. "The impact of minimum wage on parental time allocation to children: evidence from the American Time Use Survey," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 1019-1042, September.
    4. Michael P Keane & Sonya Krutikova & Timothy Neal, 2018. "The impact of child work on cognitive development: results from four Low to Middle Income countries," IFS Working Papers W18/29, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    5. Alicia Fillon & Nicole Fearnbach & Stéphanie Vieira & Jade Gélinier & Sarah Bagot & Mélina Bailly & Audrey Boscaro & Léna Pélissier & Julie Siroux & Vincent Grasteau & Jean Bertsch & Bruno Pereira & M, 2023. "Changes in Sedentary Time and Implicit Preference for Sedentary Behaviors in Response to a One-Month Educational Intervention in Primary School Children: Results from the Globe Trotter Pilot Cluster-R," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-13, January.
    6. Slawa Rokicki & Mark E. McGovern, 2020. "Heterogeneity in Early Life Investments: A Longitudinal Analysis of Children's Time Use," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 66(3), pages 647-676, September.
    7. Armin Falk & Fabian Kosse & Pia Pinger & Hannah Schildberg-Hörisch & Thomas Deckers, 2021. "Socioeconomic Status and Inequalities in Children’s IQ and Economic Preferences," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(9), pages 2504-2545.
    8. Huebener, Mathias & Kuehnle, Daniel & Spiess, C. Katharina, 2019. "Parental leave policies and socio-economic gaps in child development: Evidence from a substantial benefit reform using administrative data," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 61.
    9. Patrick Bauer & Lyudmyla Sonchak, 2017. "The effect of macroeconomic conditions on parental time with children: evidence from the American time use survey," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 905-924, September.
    10. Emilia Del Bono & Marco Francesconi & Yvonne Kelly & Amanda Sacker, 2016. "Early Maternal Time Investment and Early Child Outcomes," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 126(596), pages 96-135, October.
    11. Sandner, Malte & Jungmann, Tanja, 2017. "Gender-specific effects of early childhood intervention: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 59-78.
    12. Michael Keane & Sonya Krutikova & Timothy Neal, 2022. "Child work and cognitive development: Results from four low to middle income countries," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 13(2), pages 425-465, May.
    13. Mari, Gabriele, 2023. "Less for more? Cuts to child benefits, family adjustments, and long-run child outcomes in larger families," SocArXiv e3n82, Center for Open Science.
    14. Alice Masini & Davide Gori & Sofia Marini & Marcello Lanari & Susan Scrimaglia & Francesco Esposito & Francesco Campa & Alessia Grigoletto & Andrea Ceciliani & Stefania Toselli & Laura Dallolio, 2021. "The Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life in a Sample of Primary School Children: A Cross-Sectional Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-12, March.
    15. Jonas Jessen & Christa Katharina Spieß & Sevrin Waights, 2022. "Centre‐Based Care and Parenting Activities," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 84(6), pages 1356-1379, December.
    16. Michael Grätz & Florencia Torche, 2016. "Compensation or Reinforcement? The Stratification of Parental Responses to Children’s Early Ability," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(6), pages 1883-1904, December.
    17. Brant Abbott, 2022. "Incomplete Markets and Parental Investments in Children," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 44, pages 104-124, April.
    18. Christina Felfe & Martin Huber, 2017. "Does preschool boost the development of minority children?: the case of Roma children," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 180(2), pages 475-502, February.
    19. Gimenez-Nadal, Jose Ignacio & Sevilla, Almudena, 2016. "Intensive Mothering and Well-being: The Role of Education and Child Care Activity," MPRA Paper 74249, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Kalena E. Cortes & Hans D.U. Fricke & Susanna Loeb & David S. Song & Benjamin N. York, 2019. "When Behavioral Barriers are Too High or Low – How Timing Matters for Parenting Interventions," NBER Working Papers 25964, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4240-:d:1082230. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.