Background
Materials and methods
Study conduction and identification of the social network
Interviews
Definitions
Statistical Methods
N
|
Snacker
|
No snacker
|
Overall
|
p-value
1
|
BMI
|
p-value
2
| |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
608
|
607
|
1215
| (Snackers only) | ||||
Number of children in the family
| p < 0.001 | p = 0.232 | |||||
One | 63 (10.4) | 109 (18.0) | 172 (14.2) | 17.6 [15.2; 19.2] | |||
Two or more | 545 (89.6) | 498 (82.0) | 1043 (85.8) | 17.3 [15.3; 20.4] | |||
Number of Children in the family aged 6-10 yrs
| p = 0.001 | p = 0.047 | |||||
One | 395 (65.0) | 450 (74.1) | 845 (69.5) | 17.8 [15.3; 20.4] | |||
Two or more | 213 (35.0) | 157 (25.9) | 370 (30.5) | 16.6 [15.3; 19.0] | |||
Family Composition
| p = 0.003 | p = 0.017 | |||||
Normal (father, mother and children) | 527 (86.7) | 558 (91.9) | 1085 (89.3) | 17.6 [15.3; 19.2] | |||
Enlarged (normal with grandparents or other relatives living together) | 81 (13.3) | 49 (8.1) | 130 (10.7) | 16.6 [16.0; 23.1] | |||
Father's Education
| 1213 | p < 0.001 | p = 0.005 | ||||
Up to the mandatory school | 312 (51.3) | 233 (38.5) | 545 (44.9) | 17.6 [15.9; 20.4] | |||
High school degree | 225 (37.0) | 270 (44.6) | 495 (40.8) | 17.8 [15.2; 19.2] | |||
BS or more | 71 (11.7) | 102 (16.9) | 173 (14.3) | 15.9 [13.9; 20.0] | |||
Mother's Education
| 1208 | p = 0.001 | p = 0.060 | ||||
Up to the mandatory school | 246 (40.8) | 208 (34.4) | 454 (37.6) | 17.8 [16.0; 20.7] | |||
High school degree | 306 (50.7) | 309 (51.1) | 615 (50.9) | 17.3 [15.2; 19.0] | |||
BS or more | 51 (8.5) | 88 (14.5) | 139 (11.5) | 17.5 [14.5; 19.4] | |||
Father's Job
| 1211 | p = ns | p = 0.005 | ||||
Independent worker | 221 (36.3) | 237 (39.3) | 458 (37.8) | 18.1 [15.3; 20.4] | |||
Dependent worker | 377 (62.0) | 359 (59.5) | 736 (60.8) | 17.1 [15.3; 19.2] | |||
Other (retired, unemployed) | 10 (1.6) | 7 (1.2) | 17 (1.4) | 15.3 [15.3; 15.3] | |||
Mother's Job
| 1207 | p = ns | p = 0.010 | ||||
Independent worker | 91 (15.1) | 89 (14.7) | 180 (14.9) | 16.6 [15.9; 18.2] | |||
Dependent worker | 247 (41.0) | 257 (42.5) | 504 (41.8) | 17.3 [14.9; 19.0] | |||
Other (retired, unemployed, housewife) | 265 (43.9) | 258 (42.7) | 523 (43.3) | 17.8 [15.9; 20.8] | |||
Mother has a full time job (40 hrs per week)
| 1207 | p = ns | p = 0.053 | ||||
Yes | 129 (38.7) | 134 (39.0) | 263 (38.8) | 16.5 [14.9; 19.0] | |||
No | 204 (61.3) | 210 (61.0) | 414 (61.2) | 17.8 [15.3; 18.3] | |||
Who is taking care of the child outside schooltime
| 1213 | p = 0.009 | p < 0.001 | ||||
Mother/Father | 499 (82.1) | 529 (87.4) | 1028 (84.7) | 17.6 [15.9; 20.4] | |||
Other people | 109 (17.9) | 76 (12.6) | 185 (15.3) | 15.3 [14.6; 18.8] | |||
Exercise Time (hours per week) of the mother
| 1175 | p < 0.001 | p < 0.001 | ||||
None | 428 (74.8) | 416 (69.0) | 844 (71.8) | 16.7 [15.3; 18.8] | |||
Between one and three hours | 68 (11.9) | 138 (22.9) | 206 (17.5) | 19.0 [17.8; 20.8] | |||
Four hours or more | 76 (13.3) | 49 (8.1) | 125 (10.6) | 18.3 [14.9; 20.4] | |||
Mother's BMI
| 1161 | 23 [21; 24] | 22 [20; 24] | 22 [20; 24] | p = 0.015 | p < 0.001 | |
Underweight/normal | 454 (79.9) | 472 (79.6) | 926 (79.8) | p = 0.002 | 16.7 [15.3; 18.8] | ||
Overweight | 72 (12.7) | 101 (17.0) | 173 (14.9) | 20.0 [17.6; 20.4] | |||
Obese | 42 (7.4) | 20 (3.4) | 62 (5.3) | 21.4 [14.3; 23.4] | |||
Exercise Time (hours per week) of the father
| 1176 | p = ns | p = 0.025 | ||||
None | 425 (73.7) | 424 (70.8) | 849 (72.2) | 17.4 [15.8; 19.2] | |||
Between one and three hours | 93 (16.1) | 100 (16.7) | 193 (16.4) | 17.8 [15.3; 20.8] | |||
Between four and six hours | 43 (7.5) | 57 (9.5) | 100 (8.5) | 18.3 [14.9; 19.2] | |||
Seven hours or more | 16 (2.8) | 18 (3.0) | 34 (2.9) | 14.8 [11.6; 22.4] | |||
Father's BMI
| 1100 | 25 [24; 27] | 25 [24; 27] | 25 [24; 27] | p = 0.152 | p < 0.001 | |
Underweight/normal | 265 (48.4) | 285 (51.5) | 550 (50.0) | p = ns | 16.6 [15.3; 18.7] | ||
Overweight | 243 (44.4) | 227 (41.0) | 470 (42.7) | 17.8 [15.1; 20.7] | |||
Obese | 39 (7.1) | 41 (7.4) | 80 (7.3) | 18.3 [17.6; 22.8] | |||
Nationality of the family
| 1193 | p = ns | p = 0.003 | ||||
Italian | 557 (94.7) | 579 (95.7) | 1136 (95.2) | 17.4 [15.3; 19.8] | |||
Mixed Italian and other nationality | 21 (3.6) | 20 (3.3) | 41 (3.4) | 21.4 [15.3; 25.7] | |||
Other nationality | 10 (1.7) | 6 (1.0) | 16 (1.3) | - |
N
|
Snacker
|
No snacker
|
Overall
|
p-value
1
|
BMI
|
p-value
2
| |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
608
|
607
|
1215
| (Snackers only) | ||||
Gender
| p = ns | p = 0.214 | |||||
Male | 344 (56.6) | 331 (54.5) | 675 (55.6) | 17.8 [15.9; 20.0] | |||
Female | 264 (43.4) | 276 (45.5) | 540 (44.4) | 17.1 [14.9; 20.4] | |||
Age (years)
| p < 0.001 | p < 0.001 | |||||
6 | 128 (21.1) | 121 (19.9) | 249 (20.5) | 16.5 [14.9; 19.0] | |||
7 | 120 (19.7) | 102 (16.8) | 222 (18.3) | 18.0 [16.0; 20.0] | |||
8 | 167 (27.5) | 114 (18.8) | 281 (23.1) | 15.9 [14.6; 20.7] | |||
9 | 102 (16.8) | 135 (22.2) | 237 (19.5) | 17.1 [16.2; 20.4] | |||
10 | 91 (15.0) | 135 (22.2) | 226 (18.6) | 17.8 [17.4; 19.8] | |||
BMI
| 1082 | 17 [15; 20] | 18 [15; 20] | 18 [15; 20] | p = 0.120 | p < 0.001 | |
Underweight/normal | 326 (60.3) | 325 (60.1) | 651 (60.2) | 15.9 [14.6; 16.8] | |||
At risk of overweight | 91 (16.8) | 101 (18.7) | 192 (17.7) | 18.3 [18.1; 20.4] | |||
Overweight | 124 (22.9) | 115 (21.3) | 239 (22.1) | 21.9 [20.7; 23.4] | |||
Interest of the child for the snack
| 1145 | p = ns | p < 0.001 | ||||
Focused on the product | 208 (35.9) | 173 (30.6) | 381 (33.3) | 18.3 [16.5; 20.4] | |||
Focused on the gadget accompanying the snack | 372 (64.1) | 392 (69.4) | 764 (66.7) | 16.6 [14.9; 19.0] | |||
Age of the mother at time of child birth
| 1187 | 30 [27; 33] | 31 [28; 34] | 30 [28; 33] | p < 0.001 | 17.4 [15.3; 20.0] | |
Time of sleeping of the child per day
| 1187 | p = 0.002 | p < 0.001 | ||||
At most 8 hours | 210 (36.0) | 168 (27.8) | 378 (31.8) | 18.0 [16.0; 20.7] | |||
More than 8 hours | 373 (64.0) | 436 (72.2) | 809 (68.2) | 16.7 [15.2; 19.4] | |||
Time when the child wakes up
| 1186 | p = ns | p < 0.001 | ||||
7.30 AM or earlier | 369 (63.3) | 402 (66.7) | 771 (65.0) | 17.1 [14.9; 19.2] | |||
Between 7.30 AM and 8.30 AM | 101 (17.3) | 105 (17.4) | 206 (17.4) | 18.1 [16.7; 21.0] | |||
After 8.30 AM | 113 (19.4) | 96 (15.9) | 209 (17.6) | 17.1 [16.0; 20.6] | |||
Number of meals per day of the child
| 1188 | p < 0.001 | p < 0.001 | ||||
At most three | 69 (11.8) | 132 (21.8) | 201 (16.9) | 16.9 [14.5; 17.9] | |||
Four | 334 (57.3) | 334 (55.2) | 668 (56.2) | 16.8 [15.3; 20.0] | |||
Five or more | 180 (30.9) | 139 (23.0) | 319 (26.9) | 18.3 [16.0; 20.4] | |||
Place of meals
| 1209 | p = 0.088 | p = 0.010 | ||||
At home | 538 (89.2) | 558 (92.1) | 1096 (90.7) | 17.6 [15.3; 20.0] | |||
Outside home | 65 (10.8) | 48 (7.9) | 113 (9.3) | 16.5 [14.9; 17.8] | |||
The place of meals is changing during the week
| 1208 | p = ns | p = 0.065 | ||||
Yes | 217 (36.0) | 205 (33.9) | 422 (34.9) | 17.3 [14.9; 20.0] | |||
No | 386 (64.0) | 400 (66.1) | 786 (65.1) | 17.6 [15.4; 20.4] | |||
Number of different sport activities per week
| 1190 | p = ns | p = 0.008 | ||||
None | 175 (29.5) | 176 (29.5) | 351 (29.5) | 17.6 [16.0; 20.4] | |||
One sport | 312 (52.6) | 318 (53.3) | 630 (52.9) | 17.6 [15.2; 20.0] | |||
Two | 82 (13.8) | 85 (14.2) | 167 (14.0) | 17.1 [14.9; 20.4] | |||
Three or more | 24 (4.0) | 18 (3.0) | 42 (3.5) | 16.0 [14.3; 17.5] | |||
Time (hours) of sport activities per week
| 1190 | p = ns | p = 0.133 | ||||
None | 175 (29.5) | 176 (29.5) | 351 (29.5) | 17.6 [16.0; 20.4] | |||
Between one and three hours | 252 (42.5) | 246 (41.2) | 498 (41.8) | 17.8 [14.8; 20.4] | |||
More than three hours | 166 (28.0) | 175 (29.3) | 341 (28.7) | 17.4 [15.3; 19.2] | |||
Hours per day watching TV or playing videogames
| 1115 | p < 0.001 | p < 0.001 | ||||
At most one hour | 144 (26.4) | 233 (40.9) | 377 (33.8) | 17.4 [14.5; 18.0] | |||
Between one and two hours | 224 (41.1) | 215 (37.7) | 439 (39.4) | 17.1 [15.3; 20.2] | |||
More than two hours | 177 (32.5) | 122 (21.4) | 299 (26.8) | 17.8 [15.9; 20.4] | |||
Hours of studying outside school time
| 1041 | p = 0.113 | p = 0.006 | ||||
At most three hours | 116 (23.2) | 131 (24.2) | 247 (23.7) | 16.8 [14.5; 20.7] | |||
Between three and seven hours | 179 (35.8) | 221 (40.9) | 400 (38.4) | 17.4 [15.3; 19.0] | |||
More than seven hours | 205 (41.0) | 189 (34.9) | 394 (37.8) | 18.1 [16.0; 20.4] | |||
What is your perception on the weight of your child
| 1204 | p = ns | p < 0.001 | ||||
He/she is underweight | 69 (13.9) | 60 (11.7) | 129 (12.8) | 14.5 [13.8; 15.3] | |||
He/she is normal | 428 (86.1) | 454 (88.3) | 882 (87.2) | 16.8 [15.3; 19.0] | |||
He/she is overweight | 101 (16.9) | 92 (15.2) | 193 (16.0) | 20.6 [18.1; 22.8] | |||
How much, in Kg
| 298 | 4 [3; 5] | 3 [2; 5] | 3 [2; 5] | p < 0.001 | 18.1 [14.6; 21.4] | |
How much (in case of overweight), in Kg
| 182 | 5 [3; 10] | 3 [2; 6] | 4 [2; 7] | p < 0.001 | 20.6 [18.1; 22.8] | |
Number of close friends aged 6-10 yrs
| 1135 | p = 0.188 | p = 0.001 | ||||
None | 39 (6.9) | 56 (9.8) | 95 (8.4) | 18.9 [14.3; 22.8] | |||
Between one and three | 100 (17.7) | 93 (16.3) | 193 (17.0) | 17.8 [16.7; 20.8] | |||
More than three | 427 (75.4) | 420 (73.8) | 847 (74.6) | 17.6 [15.3; 19.2] |
Results
Snacks
The social network
N
|
Snacker
|
No snacker
|
Overall
|
p-value
1
|
BMI
|
p-value
2
| |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
858 | 658 | 1516 | (Snackers only) | ||||
Gender
| 1510 | p = ns | p = 0.093 | ||||
Male | 468 (54.9) | 367 (55.8) | 835 (55.3) | 17.4 [15.9; 19.0] | |||
Female | 384 (45.1) | 291 (44.2) | 675 (44.7) | 17.6 [16.0; 20.4] | |||
Age
| 1510 | p = 0.005 | p < 0.001 | ||||
At most 8 yrs | 498 (58.5) | 337 (51.2) | 835 (55.3) | 16.6 [15.3; 19.2] | |||
Older than 8 yrs | 354 (41.5) | 321 (48.8) | 675 (44.7) | 17.8 [16.6; 20.4] | |||
Place of friendship
| 1496 | p = ns | p = 0.003 | ||||
School | 570 (67.9) | 467 (71.2) | 1037 (69.3) | 17.7 [15.3; 20.4] | |||
Child of a relative | 126 (15.0) | 97 (14.8) | 223 (14.9) | 16.8 [15.8; 20.4] | |||
Neighbor | 114 (13.6) | 75 (11.4) | 189 (12.6) | 17.7 [16.5; 20.7] | |||
Sport/other places | 30 (3.6) | 17 (2.6) | 47 (3.1) | 16.9 [15.9; 17.8] | |||
Time (hours) of sport activities per week
| 1493 | p = 0.002 | p < 0.001 | ||||
None | 336 (40.0) | 223 (34.2) | 559 (37.4) | 17.6 [16.5; 20.4] | |||
Between one and three hours | 306 (36.4) | 296 (45.3) | 602 (40.3) | 16.5 [15.0; 20.0] | |||
More than three hours | 198 (23.6) | 134 (20.5) | 332 (22.2) | 17.8 [16.0; 20.4] | |||
Number of different sport activities per week
| 934 | p = ns | p = 0.018 | ||||
One sport activity | 422 (83.7) | 362 (84.2) | 784 (83.9) | 17.1 [15.3; 19.7] | |||
Two or more sport activities | 82 (16.3) | 68 (15.8) | 150 (16.1) | 17.8 [15.9; 20.8] | |||
Is the friend eating snacks
| 1181 | p < 0.001 | p = 0.200 | ||||
Yes | 612 (89.5) | 379 (76.3) | 991 (83.9) | 17.8 [16.0; 20.4] | |||
No | 72 (10.5) | 118 (23.7) | 190 (16.1) | 17.8 [16.6; 21.0] | |||
Number of snacks per day of the friend
| 668 | p = ns | p < 0.001 | ||||
At most one | 150 (37.9) | 105 (38.6) | 255 (38.2) | 17.1 [15.8; 18.1] | |||
Not more than two | 120 (30.3) | 88 (32.4) | 208 (31.1) | 18.3 [16.5; 20.4] | |||
Not more than three | 96 (24.2) | 53 (19.5) | 149 (22.3) | 20.4 [17.4; 22.4] | |||
More than three | 30 (7.6) | 26 (9.6) | 56 (8.4) | 16.5 [15.3; 19.8] | |||
What is your perception on the weight of your child
| 1484 | p = 0.82 | p < 0.001 | ||||
He/she is underweight | 84 (10.1) | 89 (13.7) | 173 (11.7) | 19.0 [16.7; 20.7] | |||
He/she is normal | 588 (70.5) | 432 (66.5) | 1020 (68.7) | 17.4 [15.4; 19.2] | |||
He/she is overweight | 162 (19.4) | 129 (19.8) | 291 (19.6) | 17.8 [16.5; 20.4] |
Multivariable analysis for characterizing the "snacker"
Effect
|
OR
|
CI
|
95%
| |
---|---|---|---|---|
Age of the mother | 33 vs. 28 | 0.79 | 0.67 | 0.93 |
Time (hours) of sport activities per week of the mother | 2 vs. 0 | 0.55 | 0.38 | 0.79 |
Time (hours) of sport activities per week of the child | 4 vs. 2 | 1.36 | 1.03 | 1.9 |
Number of meals/day of the child | 5 vs. 2 | 3.22 | 1.49 | 6.98 |
Number of friends in the network | More than 3 vs. At most 3 | 1.28 | 1.01 | 1.71 |
Time (hours) of sport activities per week of the friends in the network | 4 vs. 2 | 1.18 | 1.05 | 1.43 |
Is the friend eating snacks? | Yes vs. No | 2.44 | 1.67 | 3.57 |
Multivariable analysis for the BMI levels in the "snacker" group
Variable | Value | Effect | S.E. |
CI
|
95%
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mother's BMI | 4 points increment | 0.85 | 0.12 | 0.62 | 1.08 |
Age (Mother) | 5 years increment | 0.73 | 0.17 | 0.41 | 1.06 |
Time studying per day (hours) | 6 hrs increment | 0.83 | 0.15 | 0.53 | 1.13 |
Time in sport activities per day (hours) | 3 hrs increment | -0.43 | 0.18 | -0.77 | -0.08 |
Time in front of TV per day | ≤ 1 h vs. 1-2 hrs | -2.09 | 0.36 | -2.8 | -1.38 |
>2 hrs vs. 1-2 hrs | -0.26 | 0.29 | -0.83 | 0.3 | |
Municipality income (low vs. high) | 1.82 | 0.28 | 1.26 | 2.37 |