title: The "snacking child" and its social network: some insights from an Italian survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The hypothesis underlying this work is that the social network of a child might have an impact on the alimentary behaviors, in particular for what concerns snack consumption patterns.
  
  
  METHODS
  1215 Italian children 6-10 ys old were interviewed using a CATI facility in January 2010. 608 "snackers" and 607 "no-snackers" were identified. Information regarding family composition, child and relatives BMI, mother perception of child weight, child, father and mother physical activity, TV watching, social network, leisure time habits and dietary habits of peers, were collected. Association of variables with the status of snacker was investigated using a multivariable logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Snackers children seem to be part of more numerous social network (1.40 friends vs 1.14, p = 0.042) where the majority of peers are also eating snacks, this percentage being significantly higher (89.5 vs 76.3, p < 0.001) than in the "no-snacker" group. The snacking group is identified by the fact that it tends to practice at least 4 hours per week of physical activity (OR: 1.36, CI: 1.03-1.9). No evidence of an association between snacking consumption and overweight status has been shown by our study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The snacking child has more active peer-to-peer social relationships, mostly related with sport activities. However, spending leisure time in sportive activities implies being part of a social environment which is definitely a positive one from the point of view of obesity control, and indeed, no increase of overweight/obesity is seen in relation to snack consumption.
authors: Laboratory of Epidemiological Methods and Biostatistics, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, University of Padova, via Loredan 18, Padua, Italy. dario.gregori@unipd.it
authors: Dario
authors: D
authors: Gregori
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Foltran
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Ghidina
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Zobec
authors: Simonetta
authors: S
authors: Ballali
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Franchin
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Berchialla
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007558:Italy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires