Sports activities in preschool children differed between those born to immigrants and native Italians

Aim: Despite the health benefits of physical activity in early childhood, little is known about sports practices in preschool children with different ethnic origins. The aim of this study was to investigate the sport activity patterns in native and immigrant children in northern Italy. The influence of some child and family determinants on the child’s practice of cluborganised sport was analysed to plan interventions. Methods: The study group comprised 2682 preschool children (49.5% girls) aged 5.9 0.3, 2396 fathers and 2478 mothers. All the children had their height and weight measured and their parents completed a self-administered questionnaire on their child’s sports participation and family characteristics. Results: Sports activities were significantly more frequent in native Italian girls than in native Italian boys and immigrant girls. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the weekly amount of club-organised sport in preschool children was related to the sex and migrant status in the whole sample, to paternal educational level and occupation in the native-born sample and to paternal body mass index, offspring and paternal occupation in the immigrant group. Conclusion: This study highlighted the need to develop specific interventions for native and immigrant preschool children to promote a healthy lifestyle

Weight status and perception of body image in children: the effect of maternal immigrant status

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent studies have shown that body image perception is an important factor in weight control and may be influenced by culture and ethnicity. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between immigrant status of the mother and weight status and body image perception of the child.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In total, 2706 schoolchildren (1405 boys and 1301 girls) aged 8–9 years and their mothers participated in a cross-sectional survey in Emilia-Romagna region (northern Italy). Weight and height of the children were measured and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. Actual and ideal body image perception by the children and by the mothers with respect to their children was evaluated according to Collins’ body image silhouettes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The BMI values were significantly lower in children of immigrants than in children of Italian mothers (F:17.27 vs 17.99 kg/m²; M:17.77 vs 18.13 kg/m²). The prevalence of overweight/obesity was lower, and the prevalence of underweight higher, in children of immigrant mothers than in those of Italian mothers (overweight- F:21.3 vs 29.1%; M. 28.3 vs 31.4%; underweight- F:5.16 vs 3.84%; M:6.63 vs 2.82%). The children's body image perception was consistent with the differing pattern of nutritional status. In the comparison between actual and ideal figures, the Feel-Ideal Difference Index (FID) scores resulted different between the subsample with foreign-born mother in comparison to the native one (significantly lower in daughters of immigrants) (FID- F: 0.31 vs 0.57; M: 0.35 vs 0.32). There were significant differences in the choice of the ideal figure of the child between immigrant mothers and Italian mothers (FID- F: -0.05 vs 0.19; M: -0.35 vs −0.03): the ideal figure values were higher in the immigrant mothers of male children and lower in the Italian mothers of female children.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest that cultural and behavioral factors linked to ethnicity play an important role in the nutritional status of children and in the perceived and ideal body image.</p