Li Lili, Zhang Zhenyu, Tian Shili, Shi Xueting
College of Humanities & Social Development, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, China.
Research and Evaluation Center of Rural Revitalization in Yellow River Basin, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, China.
Front Public Health. 2024 Dec 3;12:1494222. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1494222. eCollection 2024.
The practice of grandparents taking on the role of primary caregivers for their grandchildren is widespread across both urban and rural regions in China. Yet, the existing body of research offered limited clarity on how grandparenting associated with nutrition as well as health of children aged 0-3 years, particularly in terms of potential differences between urban and rural areas in China. Therefore, this study aims to delve into the association between grandparenting and nutrition as well as health status of children aged 0-3 and its urban-rural differences in China.
This study draws on data from 1,028 children aged 0 to 3 years and their families, collected through the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2020. Nutrition and health status of children aged 0-3 was assessed based on the indicators of malnutrition, medical consultations due to illness and developmental delay. Parental reports were used to determine the extent of grandparenting, which any caregiving arrangement involving grandparents, whether during daytime, nighttime, or both, were categorized as grandparenting. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to explore the association between grandparenting and nutrition as well as health outcomes of children aged 0-3.
Regression analysis results indicated that grandparenting is positively associated with malnutrition (OR 1.323; 95% CI 1.008, 1.735), medical consultation for illness (OR 1.382; 95% CI 1.058, 1.804), and developmental delay (OR 1.502; 95% CI 1.508, 2.134) in children aged 0-3 years. The above association has been proven to be evident in rural settings, whereas it was not significant in urban environments.
Grandparenting exhibits a negative association with nutrition and health status of children aged 0-3. It is imperative for parents to consider their children's caregiving arrangements carefully, and foster nutrition and health status of children from birth to 3 years old actively.
在中国，祖父母承担孙辈主要照料者角色的现象在城乡地区都很普遍。然而，现有研究对于祖父母育儿与0至3岁儿童营养及健康之间的关系，尤其是中国城乡地区之间的潜在差异，阐释有限。因此，本研究旨在深入探究中国祖父母育儿与0至3岁儿童营养及健康状况之间的关联及其城乡差异。
本研究采用了2020年通过中国家庭追踪调查（CFPS）收集的1028名0至3岁儿童及其家庭的数据。基于营养不良、因病就医和发育迟缓指标评估0至3岁儿童的营养和健康状况。通过父母报告来确定祖父母育儿的程度，任何涉及祖父母的照料安排，无论白天、夜间或两者皆有，均归类为祖父母育儿。进行多变量回归分析以探究祖父母育儿与0至3岁儿童营养及健康结果之间的关联。
回归分析结果表明，祖父母育儿与0至3岁儿童的营养不良（比值比1.323；95%置信区间1.008，1.735）、因病就医（比值比1.382；95%置信区间1.058，1.804）和发育迟缓（比值比1.502；95%置信区间1.508，2.134）呈正相关。上述关联在农村地区已被证明是明显的，而在城市环境中则不显著。
祖父母育儿与0至3岁儿童的营养和健康状况呈负相关。父母必须仔细考虑孩子的照料安排，并积极促进孩子从出生到3岁的营养和健康状况。
