Features of the influence of parents' education level on children's body weight

Abstract

The problem of deviation of body weight from normal indicators among children and adolescents is increasingly causing concern in both the medical and social aspects. This is primarily due to the high frequency of health disorders caused by such conditions (endocrine pathologies, diseases of the cardiovascular system, psycho-emotional disorders) that begin in childhood. Aim. To investigate and determine the relationship between the level of education of parents and the body mass index of their child. Materials and Methods. On the basis of the "Family and Children of Ukraine" program, the relationship between the level of education of parents and the body weight of adolescents was analyzed. For the analysis, a relative database of 1,075 teenagers aged 15-18 (residents of the Dnipropetrovsk region) were used. Answers from a set of questionnaires ("Questionnaire of the mother of a teenager 15-18 years old", "Questionnaire of a teenager 15-18 years old") were analyzed. Results. Data were obtained that more than a quarter of children (both among boys and girls) in adolescence have deviations from normal indicators of the body mass index, regardless of the educational level of their parents. Among teenagers, where both parents have the same educational level, this indicator is 27.0% in the presence of secondary education in the couple and 27.7% in the presence of higher education in the couple. Deficit body weight of adolescents with secondary education in both parents was determined in 18.1% of the examined (among boys - in 16.7% of cases, among girls - in 19.6%); in the presence of higher education in both parents, body weight deficiency was determined in 14.2% of adolescents (among boys – in 11.5% of cases, among girls - in 16.3%). Increased body weight of adolescents with secondary education in both parents was determined in 8.8% of the examined (among boys - in 10.2% of cases, among girls - in 7.5%); in the presence of higher education in both parents, increased body weight was determined in 13.5% of adolescents (among boys - in 16.4% of cases, among girls - in 11.3%). Conclusions. The obtained data indicate certain features of the influence of parents' education level on deviations from normal indicators of the mass index, both among boys and girls. This issue requires further scientific research to be taken into account when developing relevant recommendations and prevention programs. Keywords: body mass index, education, teenagers, parents.