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Table 1 Characteristics of the total study population and according to children’s weight status (n = 7505)

From: Behavioral risk factors for overweight in early childhood; the ‘Be active, eat right’ study

 

Frequency in study population (%) (unless otherwise specified)

 

Total

Child has overweight (obesity included) a

P - value b

  

No (n = 6847)

Yes (n = 658)

 

Parent characteristics

Mean age, years (SD)

36.8 (4.5)

36.9 (4.5)

36.3 (4.8)

<.01

Mother is respondent

6639 (88.5)

6055 (88.4)

584 (88.8)

.81

Low educational levelc

1470 (19.6)

1274 (18.6)

196 (29.8)

<.001

Not employed

1888 (25.2)

1699 (24.8)

189 (28.7)

<.05

Single parent

506 (6.7)

437 (6.4)

69 (10.5)

<.001

Child characteristics

Mean age, years (SD)

5.7 (0.4)

5.7 (0.4)

5.8 (0.4)

.22

Boy

3820 (50.9)

3567 (52.1)

253 (38.4)

<.001

Non-Dutch ethnicity

1044 (13.9)

909 (13.3)

135 (20.3)

<.001

Mean BMI (SD)

15.5 (1.5)

15.2 (1.1)

18.7 (1.4)

<.001

Child risk behaviors

    

Having breakfast <7 days/week

488 (6.5)

415 (6.1)

73 (11.1)

<.001

Drinking sweet beverages >2 glasses/day

4826 (64.3)

4377 (63.9)

449 (68.2)

<.05

Playing outside <1 h/day

486 (6.5)

445 (6.5)

41 (6.2)

.79

Watching TV >2 hs/day

1430 (19.1)

1261 (18.4)

169 (25.7)

<.001

Number of child risk behaviors present

None

2059 (27.4)

1922 (28.1)

137 (20.8)

<.001

Only 1

3686 (51.5)

3530 (51.6)

338 (51.4)

Any 2

1386 (18.5)

1231 (18.0)

155 (23.6)

Any 3 or all

192 (2.6)

164 (2.4)

28 (4.3)

  1. aAccording to the age and sex specific cut-off points for BMI as published by the IOTF [34]
  2. bP-value for difference between overweight no/yes
  3. cLow education level = no education, primary education, lower secondary vocational education, and preparatory secondary vocational education