Nutr Res Pract.  2023 Aug;17(4):717-734. 10.4162/nrp.2023.17.4.717.

Early childhood eating behaviors associated with risk of overweight and its socio-ecological determinants in Korean preschool children

• Kim Y
• Kim J
• Lee B
• Jung S
• Chung SJ
• Kim H
• Shin N
• Kim Y

• KMID: 2545187
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2023.17.4.717

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to identify preschool children’s eating behaviors associated with early childhood obesity and its multi-level, socio-ecological determinants.
SUBJECTS/METHODS
In a cross-sectional study of 364 mothers of preschool children aged 3–5 years, these children’s healthy eating behaviors were assessed using a validated preschool nutrition quotient (NQ-P) questionnaire. The children’s overweight or obesity statuses were determined based on body mass index percentiles from the 2017 Korean National Growth Chart. The associations between the NQ-P score and risk of overweight or obesity were examined using multivariable logistic regression. The associations of individual, maternal, physical, and media environmental factors with the NQ-P score were also examined using multivariable linear regression.
RESULTS
Preschool children with greater NQ-P scores were at a significantly lower risk of overweight or obesity (P < 0.01). The NQ-P score had a significantly positive association with maternal body mass index and an inverse association with household income (all P < 0.05). Maternal parenting and feeding practices exhibited associations with the NQ-P score. Positive associations were observed with “warm,” “structured,” and “autonomy-supportive” parenting as well as monitoring feeding practices (all P < 0.05). In addition, the NQ-P score had a significantly positive association with the childcare center’s anti-obesogenic environment, such as the provision of nutritional and physical-activity support and vicinity of the built food environment to the home, including access to good-quality food, fruits and vegetables, and low-fat foods (all P < 0.05). Regarding media environments, the NQ-P score demonstrated more significant associations with viewing and eating and/or cooking content displayed on online video platforms (all P < 0.05) than with that on television.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings confirm the significance of healthy eating behaviors in earlychildhood-obesity prevention and underscore the importance of multilevel maternal, physical, and media environmental interventions that effectively guide eating behaviors in preschool children.

Keyword

Child; feeding behavior; obesity

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