title: Family characteristics predicting favourable changes in 10 and 11-year-old children's lifestyle-related health behaviours during an 18-month follow-up.
abstract: Lifestyle-related health behaviours such as screen time, physical activity, sleep duration, and food intake tend to change into non-favourable directions when children become young adolescents. Cross-sectional studies show that family characteristics are important determinants for children's health behaviours. This study examined whether family characteristics such as parenting practices at meals and family involvement predict a more favourable change in children's lifestyle-related health behaviours during an 18-month follow-up. 745 children in school grades 4 and 5 (response rate 65%) filled in a baseline questionnaire in the autumn of 2006. A follow-up was conducted in the spring of 2008 (91%). Several health behaviours had changed in a non-favourable direction. Baseline parenting practices at meals and family involvement predicted some of the changes in the lifestyle-related health behaviours in 2008. Parenting practices at meals predicted a smaller increase in TV, DVD viewing time, and a smaller decrease in fruit intake. Amongst family involvement determinants, less time alone at home after school predicted a smaller increase in screen time, a smaller decrease in sleep duration, and a smaller increase in soft drink intake. For conclusion several family characteristics predicted favourable changes in children's lifestyle-related health behaviours.
authors: Folkhälsan Research Center, Paasikivenkatu 4, 00250 Helsinki, Finland. carola.ray@folkhalsan.fi
authors: Carola
authors: C
authors: Ray
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Roos
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology; D002149:Energy Intake; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D016487:Parenting; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013690:Television