The role of energy balance related behaviors in socioeconomic inequalities in childhood body mass index

A comparative analysis of Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8019082
AutoresSanneke de la Rie (0000-0002-8593-7796, Erasmus University Rotterdam, autor correspondente), Elizabeth Washbrook (0000-0001-5510-6476, University of Bristol), Valentina Perinetti Casoni (0000-0003-4329-8604, University of Bristol), Jane Waldfogel (0000-0002-9213-182X, Columbia University), J Kwon (0000-0002-6493-6049, Columbia University), Jascha Dräger (0000-0002-3584-1139, University of Strathclyde), Thorsten Schneider (0000-0002-9594-5044, Leipzig University), Melanie Olczyk (0000-0001-5320-9076, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg), Césarine Boinet (0000-0002-7693-4091, Institut national d'études démographiques), Renske Keizer (0000-0003-4051-1406, Erasmus University Rotterdam)
Ano2022
Volume317
Páginas115575-115575
Data de publicação2022-11-26
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoSocial Science & Medicine (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0277-9536 • E-ISSN: 1873-5347
EditoraElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115575
OpenAlexW4310011245
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas60

Socioeconomic inequalities in childhood Body Mass Index (BMI) are becoming increasingly more pronounced across the world. Although countries differ in the direction and strength of these inequalities, cross-national comparative research on this topic is rare. This paper draws on harmonized longitudinal cohort data from four wealthy countries-Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US)-to 1) map cross-country differences in the magnitude of socioeconomic inequalities in childhood BMI, and 2) to examine cross-country differences in the role of three energy-balance-related behaviors-physical activity, screen time, and breakfast consumption-in explaining these inequalities. Children were aged 5-7 at our first timepoint and were followed up at age 8-11. We used data from the German National Educational Panel Study, the Dutch Generation R study, the UK Millennium Cohort Study and the US Early Childhood Longitudinal-Kindergarten Study. All countries revealed significant inequalities in childhood BMI. The US stood out in having the largest inequalities. Overall, inequalities between children with low versus medium educated parents were smaller than those between children with high versus medium educated parents. The role of energy-balance-related behaviors in explaining inequalities in BMI was surprisingly consistent. Across countries, physical activity did not, while screen time and breakfast consumption did play a role. The only exception was that breakfast consumption did not play a role in the US. Cross-country differences emerged in the relative contribution of each behavior in explaining inequalities in BMI: Breakfast consumption was most important in the UK, screen time explained most in Germany and the US, and breakfast consumption and screen time were equally important in the Netherlands. Our findings suggest that what constitutes the most effective policy intervention differs across countries and that these should target both children from medium as well as low educated families

Body mass index · Cohort · Cohort study · Consumption (sociology · Demographic economics · Economics · Inequality · Longitudinal study · Millennium Cohort Study (United States · Population · Social science · Socioeconomic status · Sociology · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Demography · Mathematics · Medicine · Nutritional Studies and Diet · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet