Coto Jennifer, Pulgaron Elizabeth R, Graziano Paulo A, Bagner Daniel M, Villa Manuela, Malik Jamil A, Delamater Alan M
Department of Psychology, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
University of Miami, 1601 NW 12 Avenue, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.
Matern Child Health J. 2019 Jul;23(7):943-950. doi: 10.1007/s10995-018-02722-z.
Objective We examined the association between parent and child fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake, physical activity (PA), and body mass index in an ethnic minority and low-income sample. Methods The study sample consisted of 86 children ages 5-7 years (80% Hispanic) and their parents. Three parent health variables (healthy weight, recommended F&V servings per day, and recommended weekly PA) were used to create a healthy role model index. Associations between the parent index and corresponding child health behaviors and weight were examined. Results Most parents (53.5%) were not healthy role models, 30.2% were limited healthy role models, 16.3% were good role models, and none were excellent role models; most parents and children did not meet guidelines for healthy weight, F&V intake, and PA. Parents who scored higher on the index were more likely to have children with higher levels of F&V. Furthermore, parents who had a healthy weight were 3.7 times more likely to have a child who had a healthy weight. Additionally, parents who were consuming the recommended servings of F&V per day were 10 times more likely to have children who were also consuming the recommended servings of F&V per day compared to parents who were not consuming the recommended servings of F&V per day. Conclusions for Practice These findings suggest the important role of parental modeling of healthy behaviors to their young children among minority/low-income families. Parents may serve as an important mechanism of change for children's health status by increasing their own healthy lifestyle behaviors.
目的 我们在一个少数民族和低收入样本中研究了父母与孩子的果蔬摄入量、身体活动及体重指数之间的关联。方法 研究样本包括86名5至7岁的儿童（80%为西班牙裔）及其父母。使用三个父母健康变量（健康体重、每日推荐的果蔬摄入量份数以及每周推荐的身体活动量）来创建一个健康榜样指数。研究了父母指数与相应孩子的健康行为及体重之间的关联。结果 大多数父母（53.5%）不是健康榜样，30.2%是有限的健康榜样，16.3%是良好榜样，没有父母是优秀榜样；大多数父母和孩子未达到健康体重、果蔬摄入量及身体活动的指南标准。在指数上得分较高的父母更有可能拥有果蔬摄入量水平较高的孩子。此外，体重健康的父母生出体重健康孩子的可能性要高3.7倍。此外，与未达到每日推荐果蔬摄入量份数的父母相比，达到每日推荐果蔬摄入量份数的父母生出同样达到每日推荐果蔬摄入量份数孩子的可能性要高10倍。实践结论 这些发现表明在少数族裔/低收入家庭中，父母为幼儿树立健康行为榜样具有重要作用。父母可以通过增加自身的健康生活方式行为，成为改变孩子健康状况的重要机制。
