Parental Influence On Risk Factors Associated With Childhood Obesity And Unhealthy Weight Gain

Abstract

Background: Obesity among children has evolved to be one of the key problems of global public health with parents and home environment being the key factors of determining parental diet and physical activity among children. Objective: This project intends to analyze how parental factors contribute to risk behaviors related to childhood obesity and its unhealthy weight gain. Methodology: A cross-sectional study design was used where two populations of 250 children (6 years old to 12 years old) and their parents were used. Structured questionnaires that measured parental feeding practices, lifestyle admission as well as dietary intake and physical activities in children were used to collect data. Mass weight was categorized according to Body Mass Index (BMI) percentiles. Findings: It was found that 32% of children were either overweight or obese. There were significant relationships that existed among parental sedentary lifestyle (p < 0. 01), high intake of processed foods (p < 0.05), and high screen time with high BMI in children. Healthy eating and active physical exercise among parents was positively connected to reduced risk of obesity. Conclusion: Parental influence is a major risk factor to childhood obesity. Parental-focused interventions that involve behavior change and parental awareness can be used as an effective intervention to decrease weight gain in children who are not healthy.