Parent-reported eating and leisure-time activity selection patterns related to energy balance in preschool- and school-aged children.
OBJECTIVE
Compare parent-reported preschool- and school-aged children's eating and leisure-time activity patterns that are proposed to influence energy balance.


METHODS
Cross-sectional investigation of children, 2 to 12 years, attending a well visit.


METHODS
Pediatric private practice/ambulatory pediatric clinic.


METHODS
One hundred seventy-four children: 49% preschool-aged, 54% female, 28% Hispanic, and 34% overweight or at risk for overweight.


METHODS
Parent-reported eating/leisure-time behaviors. Height/weight from medical records.


METHODS
Analyses of covariance/chi-square tests; significance at P <or= .05.


RESULTS
By parents' report, preschool-aged children consumed more servings/day of low-fat dairy (2.1 +/- 1.6 vs 1.7 +/- 1.5; P < .01), fewer servings/day of sweetened drinks (1.4 +/- 1.9 vs 2.2 +/- 2.6; P < .01) and watched fewer hours/day of weekend TV (2.3 +/- 1. 3 vs 2.7 +/- 1.3; P < .05) than school-aged children. Fewer preschool-aged children consumed salty (14.0% vs 26.1%; P < .05) and sweet (16.3% vs. 29.5%; P < .05) snack food daily, and a greater percentage regularly consumed dinner with a parent (93.0% vs 80.7%; P < .05), as assessed by parent report.


CONCLUSIONS
Parent-reported children's eating/leisure-time patterns that may influence energy balance were less healthful in the school-aged children. However, most children did not meet recommendations, irrespective of age or weight. Interventions for meeting recommendations should start with families with preschool-aged children. Future research should focus on identifying factors that might be contributing to increased reporting of problematic food and leisure-time activity patterns in school-aged children.
Raynor
Hollie A
HA
Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA. hraynor@utk.edu
Jelalian
Elissa
E
Vivier
Patrick M
PM
Hart
Chantelle N
CN
Wing
Rena R
RR
D017677:Age Distribution; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000209:etiology*; D010290:Parents; D010372:Pediatrics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires