Knowledge, attitude and practice of Lebanese parents towards childhood overweight/obesity: the role of parent-physician communication

Saudi fathers' perceptions of obesity, feeding practices, and promoting healthy eating in children: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Family involvement is crucial in mitigating childhood obesity. Nonetheless, research on fathers' perceptions regarding childhood weight issues remains limited, particularly within non-Western cultures.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to (1) examine fathers' attitudes, perceptions, and practices related to child feeding and obesity risk; (2) assess their self-efficacy in promoting healthy eating; and (3) explore the relationship between these factors among fathers of school-age children in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was used, with data collected from 179 Saudi fathers of school-age children (ages 6-12 years) via online survey. Instruments included the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ) and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE). Data were analyzed using Spearman's correlations and descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Self-efficacy was negatively correlated with feeding responsibility (rho =- 0.29, p < 0.01), pressure to eat (rho =- 0.18, p < 0.05), and monitoring (rho =- 0.25, p < 0.01), indicating that lower confidence was linked to greater parental control. Positive correlations were found with perceived parent overweight (rho = 0.34, p < 0.01) and perceived child overweight (rho = 0.23, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare professionals should design father-centered interventions that promote healthy eating without instilling weight-related anxiety. Culturally tailored strategies targeting paternal self-efficacy could enhance childhood obesity prevention efforts in the region.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Parents Regarding Childhood Obesity in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study

Obesity is a global issue whose prevalence continues to rise at a concerning rate. Over the past 30 years, many countries have witnessed the doubling or tripling of obesity rates. The growing prevalence of obesity in children is particularly worrying given that it indicates a future burden on healthcare systems. Herein, we aim to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to childhood obesity among parents of school children in Ras Al-Khaimah (RAK) and Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). This cross-sectional study was conducted between January and May 2024 and involved parents/guardians of children from grades 1 to 12 in governmental schools in RAK and Fujairah. A standardized questionnaire adapted from the "We Can Program" was used after modification to make it suitable for the study participants. The appropriate sample size was calculated and found to be 471. A total of 510 questionnaires were included in the analysis. The study participants comprised 89.6% females, 77.6% middle-aged individuals, and 61.8% RAK residents. The results show that 96.3% of parents have good knowledge; 88.4% have a positive attitude; and 97.8% have good practices. Younger and less educated parents have a less positive attitude {odds ratio (OR) = 0.052 (0.28-0.98), p = 0.03 and OR = 0.057 (0.33-1.009), p = 0.03, respectively}. In contrast, having good knowledge increases the chances of having a positive attitude {OR = 3.81 (1.39-10.45), p = 0.015}. Males were found to have a lower probability of having good practices {OR = 0.29 (0.07-0.15), p = 0.09}. However, having good knowledge and a positive attitude increases the chances of having good practices {OR = 6.30 (1.26-31.41), p = 0.05 and OR = 23.42 (6.02-91.09, p = 0.00), respectively}. In conclusion, overall, parents/guardians from RAK and Fujairah have good knowledge, positive attitudes, and good practices with regard to childhood obesity. Young parents with lower educational levels tend to have a negative attitude. In general, living in RAK or Fujairah is not a contributing factor affecting the levels of overall knowledge, attitudes, and practices. However, parents in Fujairah have worse practices according to the majority of the individual practice questions related to physical activity and healthy food compared to parents in RAK. Particular emphasis should be placed on walking, biking, and using the stairs, when possible, among parents in Fujairah. National programs should be developed, targeting young parents with lower educational levels to improve their attitudes and hence their practices.

Associations between caregivers' health behaviours and overweight/obesity among children aged 2-6 years in Beijing, China: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the correlation between caregivers' health-related behaviours and the prevalence of overweight/obesity among children aged 2-6 years in Beijing city in China.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Two kindergartens and two community health service centres in Beijing city, China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1967 children aged 2-6 years were included.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Children's height and weight were measured and body mass index was computed. The caregivers' exercise health behaviours and dietary health behaviours were assessed using a questionnaire, encompassing the frequency of exercise and the duration of each exercise session, as well as the frequency of consumption of desserts, late-night snacks, and fast food, regular eating habits, and the proportion of meat and vegetables consumed daily. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify relationships between caregivers' health-related behaviours and overweight/obesity in children.

RESULTS

Having caregivers who exercised ≥3 times/week (OR 0.643, 95% CI 0.417 to 0.990) was a protective factor against childhood overweight/obesity compared with having caregivers who exercised <1 time/week; caregivers' frequent encouragement of children's participation in physical activity was also a protective factor (OR 0.513, 95% CI 0.352 to 0.749). Additionally, children whose caregivers consumed sweets 2-3 times/week (OR 1.535, 95% CI 1.133 to 2.081) or ≥4 times/week (OR 1.916, 95% CI 1.258 to 2.918), as well as children whose caregivers consumed fast food ≥4 times/week (OR 2.298, 95% CI 1.349 to 3.914), were more likely to be overweight and obesity than children whose caregivers consumed these foods ≤1 time/week. Furthermore, caregivers' irregular eating habits were positively associated with the occurrence of overweight and obesity in children (OR 1.485, 95% CI 1.056 to 2.089).

CONCLUSION

Caregivers' health-related behaviours were significantly associated with overweight/obesity among children in China. Substantial measures should be implemented to address caregivers' health-related behaviours to prevent and control childhood overweight/obesity.

A National School Health Campaign in Lebanon on Children Aged between 3 and 12 Years Old: Concordance Level between Parents' Reports and Medical Visit Findings about Physical and Mental Health

A school's commitment to promoting health extends beyond students' efforts to encompass parental involvement and must recognize the critical role of parents in enhancing overall student well-being. This study, conducted in 27 schools across Lebanon, assessed parents' awareness of their children's physical and mental health. A school health campaign involved direct medical interventions on 7184 students, followed by phone interviews with 3880 parents to compare their responses with the medical findings. Discordances ranged from extreme mismatches (≥50%) to mild mismatches (<15%), with notable disparities in incomplete vaccination (67.8%), BMI (59%), and mental health indicators (expressions of sadness (69.1%), loneliness (61.0%), and anxiety (53.4%)). Factors such as school type, child's age, governorate, family income, parents' occupation, education level, and marital status significantly influenced discordance rates. Notably, mental health aspects exhibited higher disparities, emphasizing the need for improved communication between parents, physicians, and children. Bridging these gaps could empower parents with better knowledge, fostering environments conducive to lifelong healthy behaviors in children. The study underscores the urgency for enhanced communication strategies to bridge discrepancies and ensure a more comprehensive understanding of children's physical and mental well-being.

Smartphone-based application to control and prevent overweight and obesity in children: design and evaluation

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a multifaceted condition that impacts individuals across various age, racial, and socioeconomic demographics, hence rendering them susceptible to a range of health complications and an increased risk of premature mortality. The frequency of obesity among adolescent females in Iran has exhibited an increase from 6 to 9%, while among boys, it has risen from 2 to 7%. Due to the increasing prevalence and advancements in technology, the primary objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a smartphone-based app that would serve as an educational tool for parents about the matter of childhood overweight and obesity. Additionally, the app aimed to enhance parents' capacity to effectively address and manage their children's weight-related concerns.

METHODS

The design of the present study is of an applied-developmental type. In the first phase, the content of related smartphone-based app was determined based on the needs identified in similar studies and the findings of a researcher-made questionnaire. The versions of the app were designed in the android studio 3 programming environment, using the Java 8 programming language and SQLite database. Then, in order to evaluate the app's usability, ease of access, and different features, the standard usability evaluation questionnaire and the user satisfaction questionnaire (QUIS) were completed by the users.

RESULTS

The developed app has five main sections: the main page, recommendation section (with eight parts), charts over the time, child psychology, and reminders for each user. The designed app was given to 20 people including nutritionists and parents with children under 18 years of age for conducting usability evaluation. According to the scores of participants about the usability evaluation of the app, it can be concluded that groups participating in the study could use the program, and they rated the app at a "good" level. Overall performance of the app, screen capabilities, terms and information of the program, learnability, and general features are scored higher than 7.5 out of 9.

CONCLUSION

By using this app, people can become familiar with the causes and symptoms of weight imbalance and manage their weight as best as possible. This app can be considered as a model for designing and creating similar broader systems and programs for the prevention, management, treatment and care of diseases, which aim to help control diseases as much as possible and increase the quality of life and reduce complications for be patients.