Carola Ray
Dados Biográficos
| ID | 6254564 |
|---|---|
| NOME | Carola Ray |
| PRENOMES | Carola |
| SOBRENOME | Ray |
| ASSINATURA | RAY C |
| AFILIAÇÕES | Folkhälsans Forskningscentrum |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1443-3531 |
| VERIFICADO | Sim |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 35 |
| TOTAL DE CITAÇÕES | 13 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 35 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMEIRO ANO DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2009 |
| ANO MAIS RECENTE DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 3 |
Dagis Salo cohort profile
The global prevalence of childhood obesity has increased significantly, with World Health Organisation emphasising the importance of early childhood for promoting healthy growth and development. In Finland, 29% of boys and 18% of girls aged 2–16 years are living with overweight or obesity. The DAGIS Intervention in 2017–2018 in Southwest Finland aimed to promote healthy energy-balance related behaviours (EBRBs) and self-regulation skills in early…
Dietary acculturation and eating habits of Ukrainian children in Finland
The Russian invasion of Ukraine displaced millions of children who face acute stress and require rapid adaptation to unfamiliar environments, potentially affecting lifelong health outcomes. This qualitative study explored factors influencing dietary acculturation and eating habits of Ukrainian children resettled in Finland. Five focus groups were conducted in August 2024 with 16 mothers and 12 children (aged 8-13 years) recruited through the Ukra…
Vegetable‐Related Parenting Practices, Parenting Style and Preschoolers' Vegetable Consumption
The specific food parenting practices used by parents, along with the broader parenting style that reflects the general characteristics of their approach to parenting, may influence children's vegetable consumption. We examined cross-sectional associations of parenting style constructs (nurturance, structure, behavioural control, inappropriate control, and overprotection) and vegetable-related parenting practices (VPP) ('encouragement and modelli…
Parental self-efficacy, parental restrictions and young children's food consumption
Compared with ample evidence on the influence of the home food environment on children's food consumption, associations between certain aspects of the social home food environment (such as parental self-efficacy (PSE) and parental restrictions) and young children's food consumption are less studied. Our aims were 1) to investigate the associations among feeding-related PSE, sugary food and drink (SFD)-related parental restrictions, and children's…
How energy balance-related behaviours, temperament, stress and overweight associate
Objective: This study aimed to (1) examine the clustering of energy balance-related behaviours (EBRB) and (2) investigate whether EBRB clusters, temperament and hair cortisol concentration (HCC) associate with overweight. Design: We assessed food consumption using food records, screen time (ST) using sedentary behaviour diaries, sleep consistency and temperament (negative affectivity, surgency, effortful control) using questionnaires and HCC usin…
Associations between socioeconomic status, home food availability, parental role-modeling, and children’s fruit and vegetable consumption
Parental educational level showed more associations with children's FV consumption than relative family income. Our findings suggest that reducing the availability of SFD is as important as increasing the availability of FV to enhance children's FV consumption. Future interventions to improve children's dietary behaviors should pay greater attention to the lower SES segments of society. Longitudinal studies and intervention studies supporting the…
Parental Happiness Associates With the Co-occurrence of Preschool-Aged Children’s Healthy Energy Balance-Related Behaviors
We examined whether parental happiness associate with preschoolers’ healthy energy balance-related behaviors (EBRBs) and with the co-occurrence of multiple healthy EBRBs. This cross-sectional study included 647 pairs of parents (88% mothers) and children (mean age 4.7, SD 0.9 years). Parents completed the Subjective Happiness Scale. In addition, ActiGraph accelerometers measured children’s physical activity, and parents reported screen time and f…
Adult–Child Nature Visits Associate with 2- to 7-Year-Old Children's Nature Connectedness
The connection that children have with nature appears to be weakening, which is a concern because nature connection is associated with children's environmentally friendly behavior as well as with their health and well-being. However, the relationship between family nature visits and young children's connection to nature is a fairly unexplored topic. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between the frequency of adult…
Effects of the Dagis randomized controlled trial on home environment and children’s food consumption according to the degree of implementation
ISRCTN57165350 (8 January, 2015)
Associations between Parent–Child Nature Visits and Sleep, Physical Activity and Weight Status among Finnish 3–6-Year-Olds
Nature visits and nature exposure have been shown to be favorably associated with children's health and development, but the research regarding their associations with children's lifestyle habits is limited. The current study aimed to investigate the associations between the frequency of parent-child nature visits and sleep, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and weight status among three- to six-year-old Finnish preschoolers. Parents …
Parental Mental Well-Being and Frequency of Adult-Child Nature Visits
Regular access to green space has been shown to provide several health benefits for children. However, children today spend less time outdoors. Thus, it has become important to understand what drives and limits children's activities in nature. Based on a Finnish online survey of 1463 parents of children aged 2-7 conducted in 2019, the current study examined parents' perceived barriers to visiting nature with their children. It also examined how p…
Are associations between home environment and preschool children’s sedentary time influenced by parental educational level in a cross-sectional survey
Future interventions aiming to decrease SED should pay attention to relevant factors in children's sedentary behaviour home environment. It is important to acknowledge the possible PEL differences in these factors
Do stressed children have a lot on their plates? A cross-sectional study of long-term stress and diet among Finnish preschoolers
We examined the association between hair cortisol concentration (HCC) - an indicator of long-term stress - and diet among preschoolers in a cross-sectional design. The participants were 597 Finnish 3-6-year-olds, and the data were collected in 2015-16. We used 4-cm hair samples to analyze HCC during the past four months. Food consumption was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and we used consumption frequencies of selected food groups…
Does temperament make children differently susceptible to their home physical food environment? A cross-sectional Dagis study on 3–6 year old Finnish children's food consumption
Key Messages in an Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention
Knowledge of the impact of health messages as an intervention strategy is sparse. The aim of this study was to explore recall and use of health behaviour messages among mothers, and whether recall is associated with child health behaviours. Intervention group data from the 15 months Melbourne Infant Feeding, Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT) were used ( n = 127, children 4 months at commencement). Mothers recalled (unprompted then prompted) a…
Development of the Dagis intervention study
ISRCTN57165350 (Prospectively registered January the 8th, 2015)
Compliance with the 24-h movement guidelines and the relationship with anthropometry in Finnish preschoolers
Meeting recommendations for PA and sleep may have an important role in supporting a healthy weight status in young children. However, there is still a need to improve compliance with the 24-h movement guidelines, especially for ST
Early educators’ practices and opinions in relation to pre-schoolers’ dietary intake at pre-school
Objective We aimed to examine associations between early educators’ feeding practices and opinions and children’s dietary intake at pre-school, in a context where uniform meals are served and pre-schools are highly regulated. Design Cross-sectional study. Food consumption data of the children consisted of two-day food records from pre-school kept by early educators. Early educators also reported their feeding practices and opinions on pre-school …
A cross-sectional study of children's temperament, food consumption and the role of food-related parenting practices
Although evidence exists of the association between children's temperament and weight, only few studies have examined how temperament is associated with actual food consumption among preschoolers. We examined concurrent associations between children's temperament and the consumption of different foods, and investigated whether the association between children's temperament and vegetable consumption is mediated by vegetable-related parenting pract…
Reproducibility of Preschool Personnel and Guardian Reports on Energy Balance-Related Behaviors and Their Correlates in Finnish Preschool Children
Valid and reliable non-objective assessments of guardian and preschool personnel reports are necessary when estimating young children's health behaviors. This study examines the test-retest reproducibility of (a) guardian and preschool personnel questionnaires about correlates of preschool-aged children's energy balance-related behaviors (EBRBs), (b) a screen time diary, and (c) a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) reported by a guardian. A sampl…
Parental Education and Pre-School Children’s Objectively Measured Sedentary Time
Parental co-participation in physical activity (PA) may be a beneficial parenting practice for diminishing children's sedentary time (ST). Less information is available, however, on the explanatory role of co-participation in PA regarding parental educational differences in children's ST. Preschool-aged children (N = 864, mean age 4.8, 52% boys) with their parents participated in a cross-sectional DAGIS (Increased Health and Wellbeing in Pre-scho…
Increased Health and Wellbeing in Preschools (Dagis) Study—Differences in Children’s Energy Balance-Related Behaviors (EBRBs) and in Long-Term Stress by Parental Educational Level
This paper describes the Increased Health and Wellbeing in Preschools (DAGIS) survey process and socioeconomic status (SES) differences in children's energy balance-related behaviors (EBRBs), meaning physical activity, sedentary and dietary behaviors, and long-term stress that serve as the basis for the intervention development. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during 2015−2016 in 66 Finnish preschools in eight municipalities involving 864 …
Dietary patterns and their associations with home food availability among Finnish pre-school children
Objective To study the associations between home food availability and dietary patterns among pre-school children. Design Cross-sectional study in which parents of the participating children filled in an FFQ and reported how often they had certain foods in their homes. We derived dietary pattern scores using principal component analysis, and composite scores describing the availability of fruits and vegetables as well as sugar-enriched foods in t…
Children’s physical activity and the preschool physical environment
The physical environment in preschool, covering all indoor and outdoor equipment, and the surfaces of the preschool yard, may have a large potential for increasing children’s physical activity (PA). However, it is less clear which specific physical environmental factors are associated with children’s PA. Cross-sectional associations between the individual observed items (e.g. fixed and portable equipment, surfaces, terrain in the grounds) as well…
The mediating role of the home environment in relation to parental educational level and preschool children’s screen time
Our study recognized multiple modifiable mediators in the associations between parental education and preschool children's screen time. When aiming to diminish socioeconomic status differences in preschool children's screen time, the focus should be on parental role models, attitudes, and norm related to children's screen time
A cross-sectional study of children's temperament, food consumption and the role of food-related parenting practices
Although evidence exists of the association between children's temperament and weight, only few studies have examined how temperament is associated with actual food consumption among preschoolers. We examined concurrent associations between children's temperament and the consumption of different foods, and investigated whether the association between children's temperament and vegetable consumption is mediated by vegetable-related parenting pract…
Children’s physical activity and the preschool physical environment
The physical environment in preschool, covering all indoor and outdoor equipment, and the surfaces of the preschool yard, may have a large potential for increasing children’s physical activity (PA). However, it is less clear which specific physical environmental factors are associated with children’s PA. Cross-sectional associations between the individual observed items (e.g. fixed and portable equipment, surfaces, terrain in the grounds) as well…
The role of parents’ sense of coherence in irregular meal pattern and food intake pattern of children aged 10–11 in Finland
BACKGROUND: Among adults, a stronger sense of coherence (SOC) seems to promote a better coping with strain and is associated with healthier behaviours, including eating patterns. The parents' SOC may also have a wider effect on the health behaviour of their children. The aim of this study is to determine whether there are associations between parents' SOC and the eating patterns of their children and if this can be explained by mediating factors.…
Predicting gender differences in liking for vegetables and preference for a variety of vegetables among 11-year-old children
Do stressed children have a lot on their plates? A cross-sectional study of long-term stress and diet among Finnish preschoolers
We examined the association between hair cortisol concentration (HCC) - an indicator of long-term stress - and diet among preschoolers in a cross-sectional design. The participants were 597 Finnish 3-6-year-olds, and the data were collected in 2015-16. We used 4-cm hair samples to analyze HCC during the past four months. Food consumption was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and we used consumption frequencies of selected food groups…
Influencing factors of children's fruit, vegetable and sugar-enriched food intake in a Finnish preschool setting – Preschool personnel's perceptions
The role of parents’ sense of coherence in irregular meal pattern and food intake pattern of children aged 10–11 in Finland
BACKGROUND: Among adults, a stronger sense of coherence (SOC) seems to promote a better coping with strain and is associated with healthier behaviours, including eating patterns. The parents' SOC may also have a wider effect on the health behaviour of their children. The aim of this study is to determine whether there are associations between parents' SOC and the eating patterns of their children and if this can be explained by mediating factors.…
Meal pattern and BMI in 9–11-year-old children in Finland
Objective In many studies it has been shown that breakfast is associated with normal weight in children and adolescents. Other meals, family meals and a regular meal pattern have been less studied. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine whether a regular meal pattern, or breakfast, lunch or dinner as separate regular meals, is associated with the BMI of children. Design A cross-sectional study conducted within the Helsinki region …
Family characteristics predicting favourable changes in 10 and 11-year-old children’s lifestyle-related health behaviours during an 18-month follow-up
Do computer use, TV viewing, and the presence of the media in the bedroom predict school-aged children’s sleep habits in a longitudinal study
Computer use, TV viewing, and the presence of media in children's bedrooms may reduce sleep duration, and delay bedtimes
Role of free school lunch in the associations between family-environmental factors and children's fruit and vegetable intake in four European countries
Objective To determine whether an association exists between different clusters of fruit- and vegetable-specific family-environmental factors and children's daily fruit and vegetable intake, and whether these associations differ between countries with different school lunch policies. Design Cross-sectional data from four European countries participating in the Pro Greens project in 2009. These countries have different school food policies: two se…
Does eating family meals and having the television on during dinner correlate with overweight? A sub-study of the PRO GREENS project, looking at children from nine European countries
Objective Family meals have been negatively associated with overweight in children, while television (TV) viewing during meals has been associated with a poorer diet. The aim of the present study was to assess the association of eating family breakfast and dinner, and having a TV on during dinner, with overweight in nine European countries and whether these associations differed between Northern and Southern & Eastern Europe. Design Cross-section…
Increased health and well-being in preschools (Dagis)
ISRCTN57165350 (January, 8th, 2015)
Mediation of parental educational level on fruit and vegetable intake among schoolchildren in ten European countries
Objective To examine which factors act as mediators between parental educational level and children's fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake in ten European countries. Design Cross-sectional data were collected in ten European countries participating in the PRO GREENS project (2009). Schoolchildren completed a validated FFQ about their daily F&V intake and filled in a questionnaire about availability of F&V at home, parental facilitation of F&V intake,…
Predicting gender differences in liking for vegetables and preference for a variety of vegetables among 11-year-old children
Influencing factors of children's fruit, vegetable and sugar-enriched food intake in a Finnish preschool setting – Preschool personnel's perceptions
The mediating role of the home environment in relation to parental educational level and preschool children’s screen time
Our study recognized multiple modifiable mediators in the associations between parental education and preschool children's screen time. When aiming to diminish socioeconomic status differences in preschool children's screen time, the focus should be on parental role models, attitudes, and norm related to children's screen time
Reproducibility of Preschool Personnel and Guardian Reports on Energy Balance-Related Behaviors and Their Correlates in Finnish Preschool Children
Valid and reliable non-objective assessments of guardian and preschool personnel reports are necessary when estimating young children's health behaviors. This study examines the test-retest reproducibility of (a) guardian and preschool personnel questionnaires about correlates of preschool-aged children's energy balance-related behaviors (EBRBs), (b) a screen time diary, and (c) a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) reported by a guardian. A sampl…
Parental Education and Pre-School Children’s Objectively Measured Sedentary Time
Parental co-participation in physical activity (PA) may be a beneficial parenting practice for diminishing children's sedentary time (ST). Less information is available, however, on the explanatory role of co-participation in PA regarding parental educational differences in children's ST. Preschool-aged children (N = 864, mean age 4.8, 52% boys) with their parents participated in a cross-sectional DAGIS (Increased Health and Wellbeing in Pre-scho…
Increased Health and Wellbeing in Preschools (Dagis) Study—Differences in Children’s Energy Balance-Related Behaviors (EBRBs) and in Long-Term Stress by Parental Educational Level
This paper describes the Increased Health and Wellbeing in Preschools (DAGIS) survey process and socioeconomic status (SES) differences in children's energy balance-related behaviors (EBRBs), meaning physical activity, sedentary and dietary behaviors, and long-term stress that serve as the basis for the intervention development. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during 2015−2016 in 66 Finnish preschools in eight municipalities involving 864 …
Dietary patterns and their associations with home food availability among Finnish pre-school children
Objective To study the associations between home food availability and dietary patterns among pre-school children. Design Cross-sectional study in which parents of the participating children filled in an FFQ and reported how often they had certain foods in their homes. We derived dietary pattern scores using principal component analysis, and composite scores describing the availability of fruits and vegetables as well as sugar-enriched foods in t…
Children’s physical activity and the preschool physical environment
The physical environment in preschool, covering all indoor and outdoor equipment, and the surfaces of the preschool yard, may have a large potential for increasing children’s physical activity (PA). However, it is less clear which specific physical environmental factors are associated with children’s PA. Cross-sectional associations between the individual observed items (e.g. fixed and portable equipment, surfaces, terrain in the grounds) as well…
Key Messages in an Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention
Knowledge of the impact of health messages as an intervention strategy is sparse. The aim of this study was to explore recall and use of health behaviour messages among mothers, and whether recall is associated with child health behaviours. Intervention group data from the 15 months Melbourne Infant Feeding, Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT) were used ( n = 127, children 4 months at commencement). Mothers recalled (unprompted then prompted) a…
Development of the Dagis intervention study
ISRCTN57165350 (Prospectively registered January the 8th, 2015)
Compliance with the 24-h movement guidelines and the relationship with anthropometry in Finnish preschoolers
Meeting recommendations for PA and sleep may have an important role in supporting a healthy weight status in young children. However, there is still a need to improve compliance with the 24-h movement guidelines, especially for ST
Early educators’ practices and opinions in relation to pre-schoolers’ dietary intake at pre-school
Objective We aimed to examine associations between early educators’ feeding practices and opinions and children’s dietary intake at pre-school, in a context where uniform meals are served and pre-schools are highly regulated. Design Cross-sectional study. Food consumption data of the children consisted of two-day food records from pre-school kept by early educators. Early educators also reported their feeding practices and opinions on pre-school …
A cross-sectional study of children's temperament, food consumption and the role of food-related parenting practices
Although evidence exists of the association between children's temperament and weight, only few studies have examined how temperament is associated with actual food consumption among preschoolers. We examined concurrent associations between children's temperament and the consumption of different foods, and investigated whether the association between children's temperament and vegetable consumption is mediated by vegetable-related parenting pract…
Associations between Parent–Child Nature Visits and Sleep, Physical Activity and Weight Status among Finnish 3–6-Year-Olds
Nature visits and nature exposure have been shown to be favorably associated with children's health and development, but the research regarding their associations with children's lifestyle habits is limited. The current study aimed to investigate the associations between the frequency of parent-child nature visits and sleep, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and weight status among three- to six-year-old Finnish preschoolers. Parents …
Parental Mental Well-Being and Frequency of Adult-Child Nature Visits
Regular access to green space has been shown to provide several health benefits for children. However, children today spend less time outdoors. Thus, it has become important to understand what drives and limits children's activities in nature. Based on a Finnish online survey of 1463 parents of children aged 2-7 conducted in 2019, the current study examined parents' perceived barriers to visiting nature with their children. It also examined how p…
Are associations between home environment and preschool children’s sedentary time influenced by parental educational level in a cross-sectional survey
Future interventions aiming to decrease SED should pay attention to relevant factors in children's sedentary behaviour home environment. It is important to acknowledge the possible PEL differences in these factors
Do stressed children have a lot on their plates? A cross-sectional study of long-term stress and diet among Finnish preschoolers
We examined the association between hair cortisol concentration (HCC) - an indicator of long-term stress - and diet among preschoolers in a cross-sectional design. The participants were 597 Finnish 3-6-year-olds, and the data were collected in 2015-16. We used 4-cm hair samples to analyze HCC during the past four months. Food consumption was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and we used consumption frequencies of selected food groups…
Medicine (29 obras) · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet (25 obras) · Psychology (24 obras) · Environmental health (19 obras) · Demography (13 obras) · Developmental psychology (12 obras) · Cross-sectional study (9 obras) · Demography (9 obras) · Physical therapy (9 obras) · Public health (9 obras)