Do Parent-Child Dyads with Excessive Body Mass Differ from Dyads with Normal Body Mass in Perceptions of Obesogenic Environment?

Perceptions of the 2019 Canada's Food Guide: a qualitative study with parents from Southwestern Ontario

In January 2019, Health Canada released a revised Canada's Food Guide (CFG). This study aimed to understand the perceptions of the 2019 CFG among Canadian parents with children aged 2-12 years. From October 2019-January 2020, 8 focus groups with parents from Southwestern Ontario were conducted using a semi-structured interview script focused on understanding perceptions of the 2019 CFG. A hybrid thematic approach with inductive and deductive analyses was used. Forty parents (72.5% mothers, 77.5% white) with diverse levels of education and income participated. Most parents were aware of the 2019 CFG. Positive perceptions of the 2019 CFG were that the guide was visually appealing and less biased from the food industry compared with previous guides. Parents also reported that the focus on eating behaviours could support healthy eating among their families. Negative perceptions included insufficient information about plant-based proteins, removal of milk and alternatives food group, and lack of representation of various cultures in the guide. Challenges to following the CFG recommendations, including time constraints and limited knowledge regarding how to identify and prepare plant-based proteins, were discussed. Parent perceptions of the CFG can help inform public health policies and behavioural-change strategies designed to support adherence to the 2019 CFG recommendations. Novelty: Awareness of the 2019 Canada's Food Guide (CFG) was high. Parents identified that the 2019 CFG was visually appealing and less biased from the food industry. Concerns about the recommendations of plant-based proteins, "exclusion" of dairies, and lack of cultural representation.

Metabolic complications of childhood obesity

Context:

Childhood obesity is a global health problem. A percentage of 2.3 of Indian boys and 2.5 of Indian girls are obese. Childhood obesity is associated with many morbidities like diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, musculoskeletal problems, and increased mortality.

Aims:

The aim of this study is to estimate burden of metabolic complications of obesity in child and parents of obese children and compare it with normal-weight children.

Settings and Design:

The study was done at a tertiary health center in northern India. It was a cross-sectional study.

Methods and Material:

We enrolled 60 obese children and age- and sex-matched 26 controls, based on Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP)2015 body mass index (BMI) charts. Anthropometric parameters and metabolic complications in family were compared between cases and controls. Clinical markers of metabolic derangements and laboratory metabolic profile were assessed for obese children.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Descriptive statistics was used to describe frequencies. Chi-square test and Mann–Whitney test and Spearman correlation were used for comparison.

Results:

The prevalence of obesity and obesity-related complications was high in families of obese children. Ten percent of obese children had impaired fasting glucose and 30% had Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in prediabetes category. Forty percent of obese children had dyslipidemia, 45% had transaminitis, and 46.7 were vitamin D deficient. A percentage of 41.7 of obese children had fatty liver on ultrasound.

Conclusions:

The family health and child weight are linked through home environment and genetics. The metabolic complications of obesity prediabetes, dyslipidemia, fatty liver, and lower vitamin D level are common in childhood obesity. Regular screening and interventions of metabolic complications are essential for saving child's future health.