TY - JOUR
T1 - Increased obesity risks for being an only child in China
T2 - findings from a nationally representative study of 19,487 children
AU - Li, M.
AU - Xue, H.
AU - Wang, W.
AU - Wen, M.
AU - Wang, Y.
N1 - Funding Information:
The study is funded in part by the US National Institute of Health (NIH, U54 HD070725 ). The U54 center project is funded by The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health (OD) .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health
PY - 2017/12
Y1 - 2017/12
N2 - Objectives Given the rapid demographic transition and obesity growth in China, it is important to study how the large only-child population (≈100 million) might contribute to the obesity epidemic. This study evaluated associations of only-child status with weight and energy expenditure–related behaviors in China and examined how the associations may vary by sex and urbanicity. Study design Secondary analyses of nationally representative cross-sectional data from China Education Panel Survey: Junior Cohorts 2013–14, which included 19,487 students from 112 middle schools in 28 regions across China. Methods We used propensity-score–weighted multilevel models to test associations between only-child status and weight outcomes. Results Compared with sibling-sons, only-sons had higher body mass index (BMI) (Beta = 0.32, P < 0.05) and higher risks of overweight (OR = 1.24, 95% CI = [1.07–1.45]) and obesity (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = [1.02–1.64]); and spent less time on TV watching (Incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.89, 95% CI = [0.81–0.98]), internet use (IRR = 0.87, 95% CI = [0.79–0.96]), after-school sports (IRR = 0.91, 95% CI = [0.83–0.99]), and household chores (IRR = 0.85, 95% CI = [0.80–0.92]). Overweight/obesity risks for only-sons were particularly pronounced in urban China, where only-sons were 36% more likely to be overweight and 43% more likely to be obese than sibling-sons. Only-daughters had a higher risk of obesity (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = [1.01–2.04]) than sibling-daughters. However, the association was not significant for either urban girls or rural girls examined separately. Only-daughters in rural areas spent less time helping with household chores (IRR = 0.88, 95% CI = [0.80–0.97]) than sibling-daughters. Conclusions Future childhood obesity interventions should pay special attention targeting the large young only-child population in China.
AB - Objectives Given the rapid demographic transition and obesity growth in China, it is important to study how the large only-child population (≈100 million) might contribute to the obesity epidemic. This study evaluated associations of only-child status with weight and energy expenditure–related behaviors in China and examined how the associations may vary by sex and urbanicity. Study design Secondary analyses of nationally representative cross-sectional data from China Education Panel Survey: Junior Cohorts 2013–14, which included 19,487 students from 112 middle schools in 28 regions across China. Methods We used propensity-score–weighted multilevel models to test associations between only-child status and weight outcomes. Results Compared with sibling-sons, only-sons had higher body mass index (BMI) (Beta = 0.32, P < 0.05) and higher risks of overweight (OR = 1.24, 95% CI = [1.07–1.45]) and obesity (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = [1.02–1.64]); and spent less time on TV watching (Incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.89, 95% CI = [0.81–0.98]), internet use (IRR = 0.87, 95% CI = [0.79–0.96]), after-school sports (IRR = 0.91, 95% CI = [0.83–0.99]), and household chores (IRR = 0.85, 95% CI = [0.80–0.92]). Overweight/obesity risks for only-sons were particularly pronounced in urban China, where only-sons were 36% more likely to be overweight and 43% more likely to be obese than sibling-sons. Only-daughters had a higher risk of obesity (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = [1.01–2.04]) than sibling-daughters. However, the association was not significant for either urban girls or rural girls examined separately. Only-daughters in rural areas spent less time helping with household chores (IRR = 0.88, 95% CI = [0.80–0.97]) than sibling-daughters. Conclusions Future childhood obesity interventions should pay special attention targeting the large young only-child population in China.
KW - Child obesity
KW - China
KW - One child policy
KW - Only child
KW - Physical activity
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U2 - 10.1016/j.puhe.2017.07.002
DO - 10.1016/j.puhe.2017.07.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 28843799
AN - SCOPUS:85027881980
VL - 153
SP - 44
EP - 51
JO - Public Health
JF - Public Health
SN - 0033-3506
ER -