Intergenerational and urban-rural health habits in Chinese families.
OBJECTIVE
To explore intergenerational health habits and compare differences between urban and rural families.


METHODS
A total of 2500 families with children ages 6-18 in China were surveyed regarding their health habits.


RESULTS
Urban families reported significantly greater food variety and more time exercising (for fathers and children) than did rural families. Children's exercise time was associated with fathers' exercise time, whereas children's drinking and smoking were associated with mothers' drinking and smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
These linkages across generations in health habits highlight the need to develop preventive strategies with consideration for intergenerational influences and rural-urban differences.
Center for Community Health, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA. lililili@ucla.edu
Li
L
Li
Chunqing
C
Lin
Haijun
H
Cao
Eli
E
Lieber
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population