title: Family structure and childhood obesity, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the effect of family structure on childhood obesity among US children. This study examines the effect of number of parents and number of siblings on children's body mass index and risk of obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a secondary data analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), which consists of a nationally representative cohort of children who entered kindergarten during 1998-1999. Our analyses included 2 cross-sectional outcomes and 1 longitudinal outcome: body mass index (BMI) calculated from measured height and weight, obesity defined as BMI in the 95th percentile or higher for age and sex, and change in BMI from kindergarten through fifth grade.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Other things being equal, children living with single mothers were more likely to be obese by fifth grade than were children living with 2 parents (26% vs 22%, P = .05). Children with siblings had lower BMI and were less likely to be obese than children without siblings. We also found that living with a single mother or no siblings was associated with larger increases in BMI from kindergarten through fifth grade.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children from single-mother families and, especially, children with no siblings are at higher risk for obesity than children living with 2 parents and children with siblings. These findings highlight the influential role that families play in childhood obesity. Additionally, they suggest that health care providers should consider the structure of children's families in discussions with families regarding childhood obesity.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Division of Research on Children, Youth, and Families, 4650 Sunset Blvd, MS #30, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA. achen@chla.usc.edu
authors.forename: Alex Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: José J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Escarce
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
references.citation: Am Econ Rev. 1987 Jun;77(3):251-77
references.pmid: 10284091
references.citation: JAMA. 2002 Oct 9;288(14):1723-7
references.pmid: 12365955
references.citation: Obes Res. 2004 Feb;12(2):357-61
references.pmid: 14981230
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2007 Dec;120 Suppl 4:S193-228
references.pmid: 18055652
references.citation: Prev Chronic Dis. 2009 Jul;6(3):A106
references.pmid: 19527578
references.citation: JAMA. 2004 Jun 16;291(23):2847-50
references.pmid: 15199035
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2003 May;111(5 Pt 2):1215-8
references.pmid: 12728141
references.citation: JAMA. 2006 Apr 5;295(13):1549-55
references.pmid: 16595758
references.citation: Med Care. 2008 Feb;46(2):174-84
references.pmid: 18219246
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2004 Jun 3;350(23):2362-74
references.pmid: 15175438
references.citation: Demography. 1981 Nov;18(4):421-42
references.pmid: 7308532
references.citation: Demography. 2001 Aug;38(3):423-36
references.pmid: 11523269
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2003 Jun;111(6 Pt 2):1541-71
references.pmid: 12777595
references.citation: Int J Pediatr Obes. 2007;2(2):86-96
references.pmid: 17763015
references.citation: J Health Econ. 2001 May;20(3):301-28
references.pmid: 11373833
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2005 Jul;116(1):e125-44
references.pmid: 15995013
references.citation: JAMA. 2001 Dec 12;286(22):2845-8
references.pmid: 11735760
references.citation: Am Psychol. 2001 Jun-Jul;56(6-7):497-504
references.pmid: 11413873
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2007 Dec;120 Suppl 4:S164-92
references.pmid: 18055651
references.citation: JAMA. 2008 May 28;299(20):2442-3
references.pmid: 18505955
references.citation: Prev Chronic Dis. 2009 Jul;6(3):A94
references.pmid: 19527595