Public Health and Disease Control Interdisciplinary Major Innovation Platform, Center for Population and Development Studies, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China.
School of Sociology and Population studies, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
BMJ Open. 2022 Mar 17;12(3):e055839. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055839.
Welfare policy focuses on vulnerable populations, such as children with difficult family backgrounds. Education is a crucial way to reduce poverty. This study explored the relationship between children's diet structure and academic achievement and compared these across different family backgrounds.
A cross-sectional study was conducted to survey the health status of children from difficult families based on a random sampling method in 2018. Survey data were collected from children and their guardians with a questionnaire. A multi-sample latent class model and an ordinal logistic model were applied for data analysis.
This study was conducted in 31 provinces nationwide. Two provinces in the Central (Shandong and Jiangxi), Eastern (Hebei and Henan) and Western (Chongqing and Shanxi) regions and one province in the Northeast (Liaoning) were selected considering different stratum of economic development.
A total of 2099 children with difficult family backgrounds and 666 children from ordinary families were surveyed.
The dietary structure of children from ordinary families was significantly better than that of children with difficult or unstable family backgrounds ([Formula: see text] =9.178, p<0.01). Children from difficult families had an intake of dairy products and fruits below dietary standards. The difference in academic achievement between children in the balanced and deprived groups was statistically significant (OR=0.640, 95% CI 0.429 to 0.955). Other determinants of the academic achievement of children in difficult families were parents' education level (OR=1.331, 95% CI 1.162 to 1.525), family economic status (OR=0.835, 95% CI 0.748 to 0.932) and parents' academic concern (OR=0.373, 95% CI 0.252 to 0.553).
To address the differences between children from difficult families and ordinary families, policymakers should develop support policies for difficult children, guide the formation of a reasonable dietary structure. Besides, enhancing family closeness and fostering family nurturing behaviours are the keys to promote the good academic development of children from difficult families.
福利政策侧重于弱势群体，如家庭背景困难的儿童。教育是减少贫困的重要途径。本研究探讨了儿童饮食结构与学业成绩之间的关系，并比较了不同家庭背景下的差异。
本研究采用横断面研究，于 2018 年采用随机抽样方法对困难家庭儿童的健康状况进行了调查。通过问卷收集儿童及其监护人的调查数据。采用多样本潜在类别模型和有序逻辑回归模型进行数据分析。
本研究在全国 31 个省（自治区、直辖市）进行。选择了中部（山东、江西）、东部（河北、河南）和西部（重庆、山西）的两个省份以及东北地区的一个省份（辽宁），以考虑不同经济发展水平的阶层。
共调查了 2099 名有困难家庭背景的儿童和 666 名普通家庭的儿童。
普通家庭儿童的饮食结构明显优于困难或不稳定家庭背景的儿童（[Formula: see text] =9.178，p<0.01）。困难家庭儿童的乳制品和水果摄入量低于饮食标准。在均衡组和剥夺组儿童的学业成绩差异有统计学意义（OR=0.640，95%CI 0.429 至 0.955）。困难家庭儿童学业成绩的其他决定因素包括父母的受教育程度（OR=1.331，95%CI 1.162 至 1.525）、家庭经济状况（OR=0.835，95%CI 0.748 至 0.932）和父母的学业关注（OR=0.373，95%CI 0.252 至 0.553）。
为了解决困难家庭儿童与普通家庭儿童之间的差异，政策制定者应制定支持困难儿童的政策，引导形成合理的饮食结构。此外，增强家庭亲密感和培养家庭养育行为是促进困难家庭儿童良好学业发展的关键。
