Relationship between Authoritative Parenting Style and Preschool Children’s Emotion Regulation:A Moderated Mediation Model

An authoritative parenting style has been shown to promote children’s emotion regulation in European-American family studies.However,little is known about how sleep problems and the child’s sibling status in Chinese families affect this relationship.Based on family system theory,this study attempts to better understand the relationship between authoritative parenting style and emotion regulation.Mothers of preschool children in Chinese kindergartens completed questionnaires about their children’s sleep habits,their authoritative parenting styles,and children’s emotion regulation.A total of 531 children participated in this study.Results showed that authoritative parenting was positively associated with emotional regulation.Sleep problems mediated the effects of authoritative parenting style on emotion regulation.The child’s sibling status moderated the mediating effects of sleep problems in authoritative parenting and emotion regulation relationships.Specifically,the relationship between the authoritative parenting style and sleep problems was significant for only children,while birth order had no significant influence on the authoritative parenting style and sleep problems in two-child families.These findings suggest that a lowauthoritative parenting style predicts low emotion regulation through sleep problems,and this depends on the child’s sibling status,indicating that children without siblings may impair emotion regulation due to increased sleep problems.

Comparative study on emotional behavior and parental job stress of only-child and non-only-child preschool children

BACKGROUND Studies have revealed that Children's psychological,behavioral,and emotional problems are easily influenced by the family environment.In recent years,the family structure in China has undergone significant changes,with more families having two or three children.AIM To explore the relationship between emotional behavior and parental job stress in only preschool and non-only preschool children.METHODS Children aged 3-6 in kindergartens in four main urban areas of Shijiazhuang were selected by stratified sampling for a questionnaire and divided into only and nononly child groups.Their emotional behaviors and parental pressure were compared.Only and non-only children were paired in a 1:1 ratio by class and age(difference less than or equal to 6 months),and the matched data were compared.The relationship between children's emotional behavior and parents'job stress before and after matching was analyzed.RESULTS Before matching,the mother's occupation,children's personality characteristics,and children's rearing patterns differed between the groups(P<0.05).After matching 550 pairs,differences in the children's parenting styles remained.There were significant differences in children's gender and parents'attitudes toward children between the two groups.The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire(SDQ)scores of children in the only child group and the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form(PSI-SF)scores of parents were significantly lower than those in the non-only child group(P<0.05).Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that after matching,there was a positive correlation between children's parenting style and parents'attitudes toward their children(r=0.096,P<0.01),and the PSI-SF score was positively correlated with children's gender,parents'attitudes toward their children,and SDQ scores(r=0.077,0.193,0.172,0.222).CONCLUSION Preschool children's emotional behavior and parental pressure were significantly higher in multi-child families.Parental pressure in differently structured families was associated with many factors,and preschool children's emotional behavior was positively correlated with parental pressure.

Association of preschool children behavior and emotional problems with the parenting behavior of both parents

BACKGROUND Parental behaviors are key in shaping children’s psychological and behavioral development,crucial for early identification and prevention of mental health issues,reducing psychological trauma in childhood.AIM To investigate the relationship between parenting behaviors and behavioral and emotional issues in preschool children.METHODS From October 2017 to May 2018,7 kindergartens in Ma’anshan City were selected to conduct a parent self-filled questionnaire-Health Development Survey of Preschool Children.Children’s Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire(Parent Version)was applied to measures the children’s behavioral and emotional performance.Parenting behavior was evaluated using the Parental Behavior Inventory.Binomial logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between the detection rate of preschool children’s behavior and emotional problems and their parenting behaviors.RESULTS High level of parental support/participation was negatively correlated with conduct problems,abnormal hyperactivity,abnormal total difficulty scores and abnormal prosocial behavior problems.High level of maternal support/participation was negatively correlated with abnormal emotional symptoms and abnormal peer interaction in children.High level of parental hostility/coercion was positively correlated with abnormal emotional symptoms,abnormal conduct problems,abnormal hyperactivity,abnormal peer interaction,and abnormal total difficulty scores in children(all P<0.05).Moreover,paternal parenting behaviors had similarly effects on behavior and emotional problems of preschool children compared with maternal parenting behaviors(all P>0.05),after calculating ratio of odds ratio values.CONCLUSION Our study found that parenting behaviors are associated with behavioral and emotional issues in preschool children.Overall,the more supportive or involved the parents are,the fewer behavioral and emotional problems the children experience;conversely,the more hostile or controlling the parents are,the more behavioral and emotional problems the children face.Moreover,the impact of fathers’parenting behaviors on preschool children’s behavior and emotions is no less significant than that of mothers’parenting behaviors.

Effect of lens surgery on health-related quality of life in preschool children with congenital ectopia lentis

AIM:To evaluate the effect of lens surgery on health-related quality of life(HRQoL)of preschool children with congenital ectopia lentis(CEL).METHODS:A prospective self-controlled study was conducted in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center.Children aged from 5 to 7y whom were diagnosed with CEL and underwent phacoemulsification with scleral-fixated posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation and their parents were enrolled in this study.All of them completed the child and proxy(parental)PedsQL™4.0 before and after the surgery.Their preoperative scores were compared to their postoperative ones.Subgroup analyses were performed based on gender and preoperative bilateral presenting visual acuity of the children.RESULTS:Thirty-two children with CEL successfully underwent surgery without any complications,among whom 8 had monocular surgery and 24 had binocular surgery.Preoperative and postoperative questionnaires were completed by 32 child-parent pairs.Surgical intervention could significantly improve the vision of affected children(P<0.001).The medians of physical,psychosocial and total health scores self-reported by the children were 68.75(62.50,81.25),65.00(60.00,80.00)and 67.39(60.87,78.26)preoperatively and were 93.75(87.50,100.00),90.00(83.33,96.67)and 89.13(85.32,95.65)postoperatively.The preoperative scores of the affected children were significantly lower in all scales than age-matched healthy children(P<0.001).All the postoperative scores were significantly higher than the preoperative scores in affected children and their parents(P<0.001).In the physical functioning evaluation,the preoperative score reported by parents of girls was higher than parents of boys(P=0.041),and the postoperative score of girls was higher than that of boys(P=0.036).CONCLUSION:CEL is associated with significantly worse quality of life in preschool children.Surgical intervention can significantly improve the HRQoL in affected children from both personal and family perspective.

Influence of static cartoons combined with dynamic virtual environments on preoperative anxiety of preschool-aged children undergoing surgery

BACKGROUND Preschoolers become anxious when they are about to undergo anesthesia and surgery,warranting the development of more appropriate and effective interventions.AIM To explore the effect of static cartoons combined with dynamic virtual environments on preoperative anxiety and anesthesia induction compliance in preschool-aged children undergoing surgery.METHODS One hundred and sixteen preschool-aged children were selected and assigned to the drug(n=37),intervention(n=40),and control(n=39)groups.All the children received routine preoperative checkups and nursing before being transferred to the preoperative preparation room on the day of the operation.The drug group received 0.5 mg/kg midazolam and the intervention group treatment consisting of static cartoons combined with dynamic virtual environments.The control group received no intervention.The modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale was used to evaluate the children’s anxiety level on the day before surgery(T0),before leaving the preoperative preparation room(T1),when entering the operating room(T2),and at anesthesia induction(T3).Compliance during anesthesia induction(T3)was evaluated using the Induction Compliance Checklist(ICC).Changes in mean arterial pressure(MAP),heart rate(HR),and respiratory rate(RR)were also recorded at each time point.RESULTS The anxiety scores of the three groups increased variously at T1 and T2.At T3,both the drug and intervention groups had similar anxiety scores,both of which were lower than those in the control group.At T1 and T2,MAP,HR,and RR of the three groups increased.The drug and control groups had significantly higher MAP and RR than the intervention group at T2.At T3,the MAP,HR,and RR of the drug group decreased and were significantly lower than those in the control group but were comparable to those in the intervention group.Both the drug and intervention groups had similar ICC scores and duration of anesthesia induction(T3),both of which were higher than those of the control group.CONCLUSION Combining static cartoons with dynamic virtual environments as effective as medication,specifically midazolam,in reducing preoperative anxiety and fear in preschool-aged children.This approach also improve their compliance during anesthesia induction and helped maintain their stable vital signs.

Exploration of Problems and Solutions in Psychological Health Education for Preschool Children

The preschool period is a crucial stage for children’s physical and mental development,and the mental health status during this period directly affects children’s personality shaping and lifelong development.In recent years,China’s preschool education has flourished,with a continuous increase in the enrollment rate of children and an increasing emphasis on mental health education.However,there are still many problems in the current mental health education for preschool children,which urgently requires attention from all sectors of society.This article analyzes the main problems in mental health education for preschool children and proposes corresponding solutions,hoping to provide references for related research.

Research on the intelligent internet nursing model based on the child respiratory and asthma control test scale for asthma management of preschool children

BACKGROUND Childhood asthma is a common respiratory ailment that significantly affects preschool children.Effective asthma management in this population is particularly challenging due to limited communication skills in children and the necessity for consistent involvement of a caregiver.With the rise of digital healthcare and the need for innovative interventions,Internet-based models can potentially offer relatively more efficient and patient-tailored care,especially in children.AIM To explore the impact of an intelligent Internet care model based on the child respiratory and asthma control test(TRACK)on asthma management in preschool children.METHODS The study group comprised preschoolers,aged 5 years or younger,that visited the hospital's pediatric outpatient and emergency departments between January 2021 and January 2022.Total of 200 children were evenly and randomly divided into the observation and control groups.The control group received standard treatment in accordance with the 2016 Guidelines for Pediatric Bronchial Asthma and the Global Initiative on Asthma.In addition to above treatment,the observation group was introduced to an intelligent internet nursing model,emphasizing the TRACK scale.Key measures monitored over a six-month period included the frequency of asthma attack,emergency visits,pulmonary function parameters(FEV1,FEV1/FVC,and PEF),monthly TRACK scores,and the SF-12 quality of life assessment.Post-intervention asthma control rates were assessed at six-month follow-up.RESULTS The observation group had fewer asthma attacks and emergency room visits than the control group(P<0.05).After six months of treatment,the children in both groups had higher FEV1,FEV1/FVC,and PEF(P<0.05).Statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups(P<0.05).For six months,children in the observation group had a higher monthly TRACK score than those in the control group(P<0.05).The PCS and MCSSF-12 quality of life scores were relatively higher than those before the nursing period(P<0.05).Furthermore,the groups showed statistically significant differences(P<0.05).The asthma control rate was higher in the observation group than in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION TRACK based Intelligent Internet nursing model may reduce asthma attacks and emergency visits in asthmatic children,improve lung function,quality of life,and the TRACK score and asthma control rate.The effect of nursing was significant,allowing for development of an asthma management model.

The Adverse Effect of the 2-1-1 Regimen for Rabies PEP in Preschool Children

Post-exposure prophylaxis（PEP） has proved to be the most important measure for rabies prevention and control. There is little information regarding adverse reactions to the Essen and 2-1-1 regimens in preschool children（aged 0-6）. We reexamined the outcomes of 1,109 preschool children who were vaccinated using SPEEDA under the Essen regimen between January 2011 and December 2012 and 1,267 preschool children under the 2-1-1 regimen between January 2013 and December 2014. We find that, in preschool children, the febrile reaction after the first 2-dose injection in the 2-1-1 regimen was significantly higher than that induced by the first 1-dose in the Essen procedure. Thus, we recommend that the Essen regimen should still be used for rabies PEP in preschool children.

Hair Mercury Levels and Their Relationship with Seafood Consumption among Preschool Children in Shanghai

Mercury is a global pollutant. Children are vulnerable to environmental toxicants. Seafood consumption is a major source of methylmercury exposure. In order to ascertain children’s mercury exposure levels and study their relationship with seafood consumption, we conducted a cross-sectional study among preschool children in Shanghai.

Effect of Socio-Demographic Factors on Zinc Status of Infants and Preschool Children in East Gojjam, Amhara Region of Ethiopia

Zinc deficiency is a public health concern and is the most prevalent micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors of zinc deficiency among infants and preschool children. Based on a community, the cross-sectional study was conducted in East Gojjam between October 2011 and April 2012. Two hundred and forty infants and preschool children were randomly selected in the study. Data on potential determinants of zinc deficiency were collected using a structured questionnaire. Serum zinc concentration was measured using atomic absorption spectrometer. Statistical analysis was done using ANOVA, independent sample student＇s t-test and linear regression model. The mean serum zinc concentration of infants and preschool children was 62.98 （±13.03） μg/dL in 95% confidence interval （CI） between 61.32 and 64.63 （i.e., 95% CI： 61.32, 64.63）. About 57,1% of the subjects were zinc deficient. The main determinants of low serum zinc status of infants and preschool children were age and number of family members living on the same land. Zinc status of older children was 3.67 μg/dL （95% CI： -5.58, -1.77） lower than children who were aged 6-10 months. Serum zinc status of infants and preschool children is decreased by 0.83 p.g/dL （95% CI： -1.36, -0.30） with each additional family member. Food insecurity, dietary diversity, sex, child health, anthropometric indices, maternal education and wealth index were not associated with serum zinc status. Zinc deficiency among infants and preschool children is highly prevalent. Such potential deficiencies require urgent attention, including complementary food preparation education, traditional phytate reduction method and family planning implementation recommended in the study area.

Macular choroidal thickness in Chinese preschool children: decrease with axial length but no evident change with age

AIM: To explore the distribution pattern of macular choroidal thickness(ChT) and its association with age as well as refractive status in Chinese preschoolers.METHODS: School-based, cross-sectional study. A total of 550 healthy preschool children aged 3 to 6 years old from 6 kindergartens were enrolled. Comprehensive ocular examinations, including measurement of visual acuity, axial length, intraocular pressure and slit-lamp examination before cycloplegia, as well as refraction measurement and sweptsource optical coherence tomography(SS-OCT) examination after cycloplegia, were performed. The macular ChT in each sector of the ETDRS grid was measured by the builtin software of SS-OCT.RESULTS: The mean central ChT of the participants was 312±59 μm. The mean axial length and spherical equivalent refraction were 22.36±0.72 mm and 1.51±0.83 D, respectively. Axial length increased with age(P<0.001), while the spherical equivalent refraction was similar among different age groups. Similarly, no significant difference was observed in ChT in all sectors among different age groups(all P>0.05). The central ChT of 3-4, 5 and 6 years old children was 314±59 μm, 312±60 μm and 312±59 μm, respectively(P=0.920). No difference was observed in ChT in most of the sectors between genders. No statistical significant difference was observed among different refractive groups(all P>0.05), though the ChT of each sector seemed to be smaller in myopic children. Axial length and weight were the independent factors of central Ch T. Children with longer axial length(β=-21.184, P<0.001) and smaller weight(β=1.502, P=0.041) tended to have thinner choroid.CONCLUSION: In preschool children, the ChT remains relatively stable with age, while a negative association between ChT and axial length existed. This will be helpful to elucidate the characteristics of ChT during the early refractive development.

Effects of Yogurt Supplementation on the Growth of Preschool Children in Beijing Suburbs

Objective To investigate the effect of yogurt supplementation on the growth of preschool children in Beijing suburbs. Methods Four hundred and two preschool children (217 males, 185 females), aged 3-5 years, whose height for age and/or weight for age were less than the reference level, were selected as subjects from 7 kindergartens in Beijing Fangshan District. The subjects were divided randomly into control group (CG, 201) and yogurt supplemented group (YG, 201). Each subject in YG was given one serving of yogurt (125 g) for 5 days a week from March to December in 2001, while nothing additional was provided to CG. All subjects kept their usual diet during the study. Anthropometry (body height and weight and upper-arm circumference) and the bone mineral density (BMD) of forearm were measured every 3 months. Disease status and dietary intake were also recorded and assessed. Results The intake of calcium, zinc, and vitamin B2 in YG was significantly higher than that in CG. The incidence and duration of upper-respiratory infection and diarrhea of children in YG were significantly less than those in CG. The height gain of children in YG was significantly higher than that in CG after yogurt was supplemented for 3, 6, and 9 months (P<0.05) (1.90±0.49 cm vs 1.77±0.54 cm, 3.83±0.57cm vs 3.64±0.66 cm and 5.43±0.69 cm vs 5.24±0.76 cm, respectively). The weight gain of children in YG was significantly higher than that in CG after yogurt was supplemented for 3, 6, and 9 months (P<0.05) (0.70±0.43 kg vs 0.49±0.35 kg, 0.98±0.62 kg vs 0.80±0.60 kg and 1.42±0.76 kg vs 1.20±0.67 kg, respectively). The BMD of children in YG was significantly higher than that in CG after yogurt was supplemented for 9 months (P<0.05) (0.415±0.058 g/cm2 vs 0.400±0.065 g/cm2). Conclusion Yogurt is beneficial to the improvement of calcium, zinc, and vitamin B2 intake, the decreasing of the incidence and duration of upper-respiratory infection and diarrhea, and the promotion of the health and the growth and development of preschool children.

Effect of interesting games on relief of preoperative anxiety in preschool children

Purpose:To evaluate the effect of interesting games on reducing preoperative anxiety and improving compliance with anaesthesia in children.Methods:Ninety preschool-aged children undergoing elective surgery were randomly assigned to two groups.The children in the control group were admitted to a general preoperative room with one parent for 15e20 min,and were then taken into the anaesthesia room.During anaesthetic induction,the nurse attracted the children’s attention using an interesting game with encouragement and attention diversion.The children’s anxiety was assessed using the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale(mYPAS)when they entered the operating room,while they were waiting to undergo s0urgery,and during anaesthetic induction.Moreover,the children’s compliance with anaesthetic induction was assessed using the Induction Compliance Checklist(ICC).Results:No statistically significant differences in the mYPAS scores were observed between the two groups upon entering the operating room(p>0.05).The mYPAS scores were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group while waiting for surgery and during anaesthetic induction(p<0.05),while there were no significant differences in the mYPAS scores upon entering the operating room.The children’s compliance with anaesthetic induction was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group(p<0.05).Conclusion:Engagement in an interesting game can reduce preschool-aged children’s preoperative anxiety and improve their compliance with anaesthetic induction.

Effect of Micronutrient Supplementation on the Growth of Preschool Children in China

Objective To study the relationship between micronutrient supplementation and children growth. Methods A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 156 growth retarded preschool children. They were randomly assigned to five groups: supplemental control (S-control, n=28), zinc supplementation(+Zn, 3.5mg Zn/day, n=34), zinc and calcium supplementation (+ZnCa, 3.5mg Zn+250mg Ca/day, n=37), zinc and calcium and vitamin A supplementation (+ZnCaVA, 3.5mgZn +250mgCa+200gVA/day, n=28), Calcium and vitamin A supplementation (+CaVA, 250mgCa + 200gVA/day, n=29). Another 34 children with normal height were selected as normal control (N-control). Supplementation continued for twelve months. Results The height gain in +Zn group (7.84cm per year) and +ZnCa group (7.70 cm per year) was significantly higher than that in S-control group (6.74 cm per year, P<0.05); The weight gain in +ZnCaVA group (2.55kg per year) and +CaVA group (2.57 kg per year) was also significantly higher than that in S-control group (2.19kg per year, P<0.05); The average days of illness in each supplementation group were lower than that in S-control (13 days per year compared with 23 days per year). No significant difference was observed on bone age. Conclusion Zinc and Zinc+Calcium supplementation can improve the height gain, and vitamin A can improve weight gain in growth retarded preschool children, but do not affect the maturity of bone. Micronutrient supplementation can lower the morbidity of these children.

Sports Game Radial Basketball in Physical Education of Preschool Children

The article is devoted to the application of new radial sports games basketball in physical education of preschool children. The benefits of a new game： expanding the playing space attributable to each player, limiting the opposition defenders and facilitates the use of gaming devices. The use of innovative methods in physical training of preschool children gives you the opportunity to solve successfully the whole complex of educational issues and the full development of the child.

How parents' education and working status affect the nutrition and immunization status of preschool children in India

Objective:The aim of the paper is to see how educational and working status of the parents affect the nutritional and immunization status of preschool children in India.Methods:We have used data of more than 24 000 preschool children spread over different states in India.The data were collected by National Family Health Survey(NFHS-2) in 1998-99.For assessing the nutritional status,only the Z-scores of weight-forheight (WHZ) have been computed and for immunization status,it has been seen whether BCG,DPT3,Polio3 and measles have been administered.Children who fall below -2SD(-3SD) from median are considered to be moderately(severely) malnourished.Results:According to the NFHS-2 data,70%of children are vaccinated by BCG,50%receive the full course of DPT,54%get all the three dozes of polio and only 42%are protected from measles by vaccination in India.The percentages of moderately and severely wasted children in India are 12.1 and 2.8,respectively.There is a marked regional variation of these percentages.Bivariate and multivariate analysis clearly points to the need of educational status of mothers rather than fathers for proper nutritional and immunization status of preschool children.Parents’occupation and working status also have some effect,but not so pronounced as parents’education.Conclusion:The Indian preschool children need particular attention for high risk of wasting and low immunization.The prevalence of malnutrition can be arrested more by improving the mother’s education level rather than their fathers and by raising the standard of living of their house-holds.

Behavioral Intervention Reduces Unhealthy Eating Behaviors in Preschool Children via a Behavior Card Approach

Many eating behaviors form in childhood,and some unhealthy behaviors may persist into adulthood and have potential impacts on people＇s health.This study evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral intervention in reducing consumption of Western fast food,sweetened beverages,fried food in preschool children,and changing parents＇ rewarding behaviors that encourage the consumption of the unhealthy foods.The research was a cluster randomized trial of seven kindergartens,involving 1138 children aged 3–6 years and their parents in Beijing,China.Parents and children allocated to the intervention group received two lectures and printed resources,including behavior cards,educational sheets.Children＇s behavior cards,applied with behavior-changing techniques,were used to intervene,and monitor behavior changes over time.Children in the control group just followed their usual health education curriculum in kindergartens.Intervention effects on food consumption behaviors were assessed by examining pre-and post-questionnaires.Of the 1138 children screened at baseline,880（77.3%） were measured at the end of the intervention period.The intervention lasted from March to June in 2010.The results showed that consumption of Western fast food,sweetened beverages,and fried food was decreased among the intervention group（P〈0.001）.Proportions of parents using Western fast food as rewards for their children were decreased（P=0.002）.From March to June 2010,the frequency of each target behavior in children tended to decrease over the intervention period（P〈0.001）.Most parents favored regularly-delivered behavior cards or materials for behavioral intervention.In conclusion,the behavioral intervention encourages the healthier eating behaviors of children and reduces the parents＇ practice of using unhealthy foods as reward.

Preventable head and facial injuries by providing free bicycle helmets and education to preschool children in a head start program

The objectives of the study were to determine helmet use rates, incidence rates (IRs) of head and facial injuries for population attributable fraction (PAF) estimation, and to elucidate the magnitude of and changes in PAFs as the result of helmet use changes among preschool children. A study consisting of cross-sectional (survey) and longitudinal (follow-up) component was designed by including a randomly selected group of participants (n = 322) from 10 Head Start sites provided with free bicycle helmets along with a subgroup of prior helmet owners (n = 68) from the other random group (n = 285). All participants received bicycle helmet education. Helmet use surveys were conducted in May (1st Survey) and November 2008 (2nd Survey). The helmet owners were followed up to determine IRs, and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for head and facial injuries. PAFs were computed using IRs as well as helmet use rates and IRRs. Helmet use rates increased significantly from the 1st to the 2nd Survey. The mean follow-up person-time was 5 months. The IRs for head, face (all portions), and face (upper/mid portions) injuries were higher in non-helmeted than helmeted riders. By using IRs, PAFs for the 3 injuries among the riders in both groups of helmet owners were 77%, 22%, and 32% respectively. The PAFs for each of the above injuries decreased by about 10% as helmet use rates increased. The magnitude of and changes in preventable head and facial injuries following free bicycle helmet distribution and education among helmeted riders was elucidated in this Head Start preschool children population.

Central body fat distribution indices in Thai preschool children

Background: Central obesity is associated with adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of central body fat distribution in Thai preschool children and to examine factors that could influence on body fat distribution of children. Methods: The total 811, 5 - 6 years old children were randomly sampled from 9 primary schools in Saraburi province. Body weight and height were measured in each child. Waist circumference (WC) was measured at the umbilicus level and hip circum-ference (HC) at the level yielding maximum circumference over buttock. Subcutaneous skinfold was measured on biceps, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac and abdominal regions. Total body fat (TBF) was measured with bioelectrical impedance analyzer. Results: Mean values of WC, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) of boys were not different from those of girls. Even though trunk skinfolds of both genders were similar, girls tended to have slightly greater biceps, triceps and subscapular skinfolds than boys. Strongly positive correlation was found between WC, WHtR, trunk skinfold and child’s BMI (p = 0.01) as well as between WC, WHtR, trunk skinfold and child’s TBF (p = 0.01). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated, in both genders, that BMI, age and TBF were strongly associated with WC (Adjusted R2 0.92 - 0.93) and WHtR (Adjusted R2 0.90 - 0.92) and that BMI and TBF were strongly associated with trunk skinfold (Adjusted R2 0.88 - 0.89). The association between WHR and TBF for boys and between WHR and BMI for girls were found to be weak in this study. Conclusion: No gender difference in body fat distribution indices was found in Thai preschool children. Change in central body fat distribution of children could be strongly influenced by their changes in age, BMI and TBF.

Prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular and kidney disease in Brazilian healthy preschool children

AIM To investigate the prevalence of nutritional parameters of risk for cardiovascular disease(CVD) and kidney diseases in healthy preschool children.METHODS This is an observational cross-sectional study with 60 healthy children, of both genders, aged two to six years old and 56 mothers, in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Preschool children and their families with regular activities at public schools were invited to paticipate in the study. The following characteristics were assessed: Socio-demographic condictions, clinical health, anthropometric, biochemical, lifestyle and data on food consumption. The 56 healthy children were divided into two groups, overweight(C1) and non-overweight(C2), as well as their mothers, respectively, in overweight(M1) and non-overweight(M2). Nutritional status was defined according to results obtained through the Anthro? Software for nutritional analysis. RESULTS Thirty-five children were male, with mean age of 4.44 ± 1.0 years old. Eighty-nine percent of them were eutrophic, 86.7% were sedentary and they had five meals a day. Body mass index(BMI) for age and total cholesterol(TC) was higher on C1(P = 0.0001) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-c) was higher on C2. Mothers were 32.5 ± 7.1 years old, mostly married and employed. Eighty-six percent of them were sedentary and 62.5% were overweight with BMI = 26.38 ± 5.07 kg/m2. Eighteen percent of the overweight mothers had isolated total hypercholesterolemia(TC levels elevated) and 12.5% had low HDL-c levels. The present study showed an association between overweight and obesity during the preschool years and the correspondent mothers' nutritional status of overweight and obesity(OR = 4.96; 95%CI: 0.558-44.17). There was a positive correlation between the food risk associated with CVD by children and mothers when their consumption was 4 times/wk(P = 0.049; r = 0.516) or daily(P = 0.000008; r = 0.892).CONCLUSION Analyzed children showed high rates of physical inactivity, high serum cholesterol levels and high consumption of food associated with risk for CVD and renal disease. Changes in habits should be encouraged early in kindergarten.