Dietary Behaviors and Influencing Factors among Rural Left-behind Children Aged below 7 Years in China

Left-behind children comprise a special population inChinese rural areas. According to the 2007 China Census,the number ofleft-behind children aged≤14 years was estimated at 58 million which suggested that these childrencon stituted a

Path of Student Volunteer Organizations in Agricultural Universities for Serving Rural Left-behind Children: A Case Study of Northwest A&F University

Most volunteer organizations in universities focus their attention on urban communities and residents,but neglect rural residents.Agricultural universities have responsibilities and conditions to serve rural areas,and should bring into play their leading role. This study surveyed situations of volunteers of Northwest A&F University serving rural left-behind children,and found that there are problems including weak volunteer awareness,unstable organization members,imperfect organization construction,and lack of effect incentive mechanism. Finally,it came up four recommendations: strengthening " active service" ideological education,improving management system construction,establishing incentive mechanism,and setting up brand project,to provide feasible path for agricultural universities serving rural weak groups in a better way.

The Relationship between Rural Left-Behind Children’s Physical Activity and Hope:The Mediating Effects of Perceived Social Support

It has been confirmed in previous studies that there is a positive correlation between physical activity and hope.In this study,rural left-behind children in China was taken as the participants to investigate the impact of physical activity on hope in rural left-behind children and examine the mediating role of perceived social support in the relationship between physical activity and hope.797 valid copies of the questionnaire were collected from China.Pearson correlation coefficient was employed to analyze the relationship between physical activity and hope;SEM and Bootstrap were used to test the mediating effect of perceived social support.The results show that physical activity can not only directly and positively predict the level of hope in rural leftbehind children but can also predict the level of hope through perceived social support;perceived social support plays a mediating role in the relationship between physical activity and hope.These results highlight the necessity to pay more attention to the physical activity of left-behind children and the possibility to improve the level of hope by increasing their physical activity;at the same time,the acquisition of more material,emotional and psychological support from teachers and guardians is more conducive to improving the sense of hope in left-behind children.These findings can deepen the understanding of the sense of hope in left-behind children,and provide new methods for and enlightenments on improving the level of hope in left-behind children.

Parental Migration’s Effects on the Academic and Non-Academic Performance of Left-Behind Children in Rural China

This study investigates the impact of parental labor migration on the academic achievements and non-academic growth of left-behind children in fourth and seventh grades. Employing survey data collected from rural China in 2014, 2015, and 2016, we examine the effect of parental absence on children's academic achievement using Propensity Score Matching(PSM) and Difference in Difference(DID) methods. The results demonstrate that left-behind children whose parents have migrated for one year have statistically significantly lower academic scores. Academic scores drop lower for fourthgrade students and students from higher-income families. There are also adverse effects on left-behind children's confidence, teacher-student relationships, subjective well-being, and educational expectations if parents migrate for one year. Surprisingly, if parental migration lasts longer(totaling two years), these adverse effects disappear, and student's educational expectations even improve. These results may be because, over time, the adverse effects that occur immediately after parental migration are offset by the positive effects of migration(i.e. higher income). These conclusions can inform migrant parents on ways to utilize their resources to improve the academic performance of their left-behind children.

Emotional and Behavioral Problems of Left-Behind Children in Impoverished Rural China:A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study of First Grade Junior High School

Objective:To investigate the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems and related factors of left-behind children in impoverished rural China(mainly in thefirst grade of junior high school).Methods:A cross-sectional survey of rural households in 27 poverty-stricken counties in 12 provinces across China was conducted using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire(SDQ).Results:The prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems in left-behind children was 11.7%,and that of non-left-behind children was 8.9%.There was statistical difference between the two groups(P<0.01).There are no differences between the two groups in terms of the various factors of SDQ.The incidence of insomnia in the left-behind group was 58.3%,which was higher than that in the non-left-behind group 50.9%(P<0.01);loneliness(62.1%vs.51.8%,P<0.01);running away from home(23.1%vs.18.8%,P<0.01),and self-injury behavior(16.8%vs.12.2%,P<0.01).Left-behind children are more likely to have negative psychological feelings including insomnia,loneliness,self-injury,and run away from home.They also experienced more bullying including maliciously teased by peers,intentionally excluded or isolated,physically threatened or intimidated.All of these factors are associated with their abnormal emotional and behavioural development.Conclusion:The incidence of emotional and behavioral problems of left-behind children in rural areas in poverty-stricken areas is significantly higher than that of non-left-behind children;Logistic regression analysis showed that bullying behavior and abnormal psychological characteristics are significantly associated with left-behind adolescents abnormal emotional and behavioral development.

The Correlation between Social Anxiety and Loneliness of Left-Behind Children in Rural China: Effect of Coping Style

In this study, the relationship between social anxiety, coping style and loneliness amongst left-behind children was investigated. The participants were 773 left-behind children recruited from 8 junior middle schools in rural areas of Zhejiang Province in China who completed the Social Anxiety Scale for Children, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire and Children’s Loneliness Scale. Results show that there was a moderate correlation between social anxiety and loneliness, and these variables had a significant negative relationship with positive coping style and a significant positive relationship with negative coping style. Furthermore, the left-behind children’s social anxiety, coping style and loneliness were different within specific demographic groups, such as gender, only child status and different type of parental work. Also negative coping style moderated the association between loneliness and social anxiety, so that children who were more likely to use negative coping strategies showed a stronger relationship between social anxiety and loneliness. Finally, the left-behind children’s social anxiety not only directly predicted their loneliness, but also had an indirect effect mediated by their copying style.

Psychological Capital Status of Left-Behind Rural Children in China and Its Relationship with Mental Health

Background:The mental health of left-behind rural children of China has become a prominent social problem.At the same time,psychological capital has become a positive psychological resource to promote personal growth.However,the relationship between psychological capital and mental health of left-behind rural children has not been explored.Method:A total of 332 left-behind rural children were investigated using a questionnaire of psychological capital and mental health scale.The psychological capital status of left-behind rural children and its impact on mental health were analyzed.Results:(1)Left-behind rural children were found to have a psychological capital score of was 3.16±0.56;Gender,age,grade,and school style had no significant effect on psychological capital.(2)Left-behind rural children obtained a mental health score of 2.21±0.5 G and gender,age,grade,and school style had no significant effect on mental health.(3)A significant negative correlation is found between psychological capital and mental health scores of left-behind rural children.Regression analysis shows that psychological capital is negatively correlated with mental health scores.Conclusion:The psychological capital of left-behind rural children can positively predict their mental health,and thus developing the former can promote the latter.

Preliminary Study on Crime Prevention of Left-behind Children in Rural China

In the process of social and economic development in China,there appears the inevitable problem of crime of left-behind children.Extensive researches and disputes prove that it is,to a greater extent,a social phenomenon resulted from social factors. It is recommended to improve the treatment of migrant workers and solve the problem of school admission for their children,provide effective legal education for those left-behind children whose problem can not be solved in a short term,and supplement the guardianship role to control the crime rate of leftbehind children. Another more effective method is to resume effective control of people's social life through the rural cultural tradition,to fundamentally prevent crime of left-behind children.

A Survey on English Reading Status of Left-behind Children in Rural Areas of Northern China

Taking Suining County in Xuzhou city of Jiangsu province as the survey subject,this paper is to study the current English reading situation of the left-behind children based on a questionnaire survey of 472 respondents from 4 primary and middle schools in rural areas.The result indicated that there are serious problems in the current situation of English reading among left-behind children in rural areas,which are as follows:insufficient reading time and books,few access to having books,increased digital reading,many reading disabilities,poor reading environment,etc.This paper analyzes the reasons and gives corresponding countermeasures for society,school and family,to improve the English reading condition of rural left-behind children and to better promote their reading ability and habits.It also provides the reference for narrowing the disparity gap of reading resources services between urban and rural China.

Sense of Happiness of Left-behind Elderly People in the Context of Rural Labor Transfer——A Case Study of Guizhou Province

Through questionnaires and interviews,this paper surveyed and studied the sense of happiness of 187 left-behind elderly people in Guizhou. The results show that in the context of the rural labor transfer,the sense of happiness of left-behind elderly people is generally low.There are many influencing factors and complex causes. Through analysis,it is found that transfer of family labor has a great impact on the sense of happiness of left-behind elderly people. Finally,it came up with some pertinent recommendations for raising the sense of happiness of left-behind elderly people.

The impact of the Rural Minimum Living Standard Guarantee(Rural Dibao)Program on child nutrition outcomes

The Rural Minimum Living Standard Guarantee(Rural Dibao)is an important unconditional cash transfer program to alleviate poverty in rural China.Despite the importance of children’s nutrition in breaking poverty cycles,little is known about the impact of Rural Dibao on child nutrition outcomes.Using China Family Panel Studies(CFPS),this paper examines the effects of Rural Dibao on child nutrition outcomes and investigates potential pathways and heterogeneous effects.We exploit propensity score matching and difference-in-differences techniques to evaluate the effects of the Rural Dibao program on child nutrition outcomes.Our results suggest that Rural Dibao significantly impacts the nutrition outcomes of children up to 15 years of age.Specifically,our results suggest that Rural Dibao improves child height-to-age z-scores by 1.05 standard deviations and lowers the probability of stunting by 11.9 percentage points.Additional analyses suggest that increased protein intake is the main pathway through which Rural Dibao participation contributes to better nutrition outcomes.We also find that the effect of the program is more pronounced among girls,children who are non-left-behind or live with highly educated mothers,and those from low-income families and poor areas.Our findings suggest that Rural Dibao participation helps improve child nutrition outcomes through improving diet quality.

Research on The Social Assistance of Left-behind Children in Rural Areas under The Policy of Precise Poverty Alleviation

With the development of economy, a large number of surplus labor force in rural areas has been transferred to cities, resulting in the increasing number of left-behind children in rural areas. Left-behind children are in a critical period of ideological enlightenment, accepting obligation education, outlook on life and world outlook, and the absence of parental care and education has a negative impact on their growth. It is an important problem to solve this problem in every aspect of society.

Spatial-temporal differentiation and influencing factors of rural settlements in mountainous areas: an example of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Southwestern China

Rural settlement is the basic spatial unit for compact communities in rural area. Scientific exploration of spatial-temporal differentiation and its influencing factors is the premise of spatial layout rationalization. Based on land use data of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture(hereinafter referred to as Liangshan Prefecture) in Sichuan Province, China from 1980 to 2020, compactness index, fractal dimension, imbalance index, location entropy and the optimal parameters-based geographical detector(OPGD) model are used to analyze the spatial-temporal evolution of the morphological characteristics of rural settlements, and to explore the influence of natural geographical factors, socioeconomic factors, and policy factors on the spatial differentiation of rural settlements. The results show that:(1) From 1980 to 2020, the rural settlements area in Liangshan Prefecture increased by 15.96 km^(2). In space, the rural settlements are generally distributed in a local aggregation, dense in the middle and sparse around the periphery. In 2015, the spatial density and expansion index of rural settlements reached the peak.(2) From 1980 to 2020, the compactness index decreased from 0.7636 to 0.7496, the fractal dimension increased from 1.0283 to 1.0314, and the fragmentation index decreased from 0.1183 to 0.1047. The spatial morphological structure of rural settlements tended to be loose, the shape contour tended to be complex, the degree of fragmentation decreased, and the spatial distribution was significantly imbalanced.(3) The results of OPGD detection in 2015 show that the influence of each factor is slope(0.2371) > traffic accessibility(0.2098) > population(0.1403) > regional GDP(0.1325) > elevation(0.0987) > poverty alleviation(0). The results of OPGD detection in 2020 show that the influence of each factor is slope(0.2339) > traffic accessibility(0.2198) > population(0.1432) > regional GDP(0.1219) > poverty alleviation(0.0992) > elevation(0.093). Natural geographical factors(slope and elevation) are the basic factors affecting the spatial distribution of rural settlements, and rural settlements are widely distributed in the river valley plain and the second half mountain area. Socioeconomic factors(traffic accessibility, population, and regional GDP) have a greater impact on the spatial distribution of rural settlements, which is an important factor affecting the spatial distribution of rural settlements. Policy factors such as poverty alleviation relocation have an indispensable impact on the spatial distribution of rural settlements. The research results can provide decisionmaking basis for the spatial arrangement of rural settlements in Liangshan Prefecture, and optimize the implementation of rural revitalization policies.

The impact of Internet access on household dietary quality:Evidence from rural China

Over the past few decades,the Internet has rapidly diffused across China.The spread of the Internet has had a profound economic and social impact on Chinese rural areas.Existing research shows that Internet access significantly impacts agricultural production and improves smallholder farmers’income.Beyond these,the Internet can affect other dimensions of social welfare.However,research about the impact of Internet access on dietary quality in rural China remains scarce.This study utilizes multi-period panel data from Fixed Observation Point in rural China from 2009 to 2015 to estimate the impact of Internet access on dietary quality and food consumption of rural households and conducts a causal analysis.Regression models with time and household fixed effects allow robust estimation while reducing potential issues of unobserved heterogeneity.The estimates show that Internet access has significantly increased rural household dietary quality(measured by the Chinese Diet Balance Index).Further research finds that Internet access has increased the consumption of animal products,such as aquatic and dairy products.We also examine the underlying mechanisms.Internet access improves dietary quality and food consumption mainly through increasing household income and food expenditure.These results encourage the promotion of Internet access as a valuable tool for nutritional improvements,especially in rural areas.

Moderating effect of psychological resilience on the perceived social support and loneliness in the left-behind elderly in rural areas

Objective:To investigate the loneliness and psychological resilience with the perceived social support of the left-behind elderly in rural areas and explore the moderating effect of psychological resilience on the understanding of social support and loneliness of the left-behind elderly in rural areas.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted;272 left-behind elderly people in 6 rural villages in the Sichuan Province were investigated by using the General Situation Questionnaire,Perceived Social Support Scale(PSSS),Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale(CD-RISC),and the University of California at Los Angeles Loneliness Scale(UCLA)with a stratified random cluster sampling method.Results:The loneliness score of the left-behind elderly in rural areas was 52.54±7.25,the psychological resilience score was 78(68.87),and the perceived social support score was 57(51.62).The perceived social support and psychological resilience were negatively correlated with loneliness,while the perceived social support was positively correlated with psychological resilience.The moderating effect of psychological resilience on the perceived social support and loneliness of the left-behind elderly in rural areas was−0.102(P<0.001).Conclusions:Higher level resilience is of positive significance to alleviate the negative effect of social support on loneliness.Improving the resilience of the left-behind elderly in rural areas is a beneficial exploration to promote their mental health.

Unpacking the‘supply-utilization-demand’interplay:Keys to multifunctional sustainability in rural China

Sustainable rural development is predicated on a delicate balance between rural territorial functions and eco-logical constraints.While various functions can catalyze economic growth in rural settings,aligning them with inherent ecological variables is essential.An exhaustive analysis of Beijing’s Pinggu District elucidated specific supply-demand thresholds and evaluated the adaptability of current utilization within these boundaries,culmi-nating in a novel optimization strategy.Notably,while locals place significant emphasis on production functions,the area’s topography and soil characteristics present palpable challenges to achieving these goals.We discov-ered that‘shackle type’predominantly characterize individual rural territorial functions,while‘diversified weak function optimization type’define multifunctional aspects,showcasing varied development paths and uncov-ering potential strategies for sustainable improvement.This study contributes a groundbreaking perspective to sustainable rural development,offering key insights and strategic recommendations for policy formulation.

Understanding livelihood vulnerability:a perspective from Western Sichuan’s ethnic rural settings

To explore the livelihood status and key influencing factors of rural households in the minority areas,we collected flat data from 284 rural households in 32 villages across 12 counties of Western Sichuan from 2021 to 2022.We conducted participatory household survey on the livelihood status of the rural households and try to identify the key factors to influence their livelihood vulnerability using multiple linear regression.The results showed that:the livelihood situation of the rural households is relatively vulnerable.The vulnerability varies significantly with the income levels,education levels,and income sources.The vulnerability of farm households,categorized from low to high livelihood types,follows the sequence:non-agricultural dominant households,non-agricultural households,agricultural dominant households,and pure agricultural households.The degree of damage to the natural environment,education costs,loan opportunities,the proportion of agricultural income to annual household income,and the presence of sick people in the household have significant positive effects on the livelihood vulnerability index(LVI)of rural households;while help from relatives and friends,net income per capita,household size,household education,agricultural land area,participation in industrial organizations,number of livestock,purchase of commercial houses,drinking water source,and self-supply of food have significant negative effects.Based on the findings,we believe that local rural households operate in a complex livelihood system and recommend continuous interventions targeting key influences to provide empirical research support for areas facing similar situations.

Does Parental Migration Affect Left-Behind Children’s Social Anxiety?A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Social anxiety is a common psychological problem among left-behind children(LBC)and has been a popular issue in recent years.Children with higher levels of social anxiety have more emotional and behavioral problems and are prone to negative life events.Although several studies have explored the differences in social anxiety between LBC and non-left-behind children(N-LBC),the findings have not been consistent.In this study,a systematic review and meta-analysis method was used,with 411 papers retrieved on October 01,2023,from Pubmed,Embase,Web of Science,and Chinese databases(CNKI,VIP,and Wanfang)(PROSPERO registry number:CRD42023472463).Twenty-one studies met the research criteria and included 11,254 LBC and 13,096 N-LBC.LBC scored significantly higher for social anxiety([WMD(95%CI):0.35[0.23,0.48],p<0.001])and social avoidance and distress([WMD(95%CI):0.35[0.23,0.48],p<0.001]).Subgroup analyses showed significant differences in effect sizes for the overall proportion of children left behind(p=0.02).In addition,different types of parental migration may influence the social anxiety of LBC,double-parent migration was associated higher social anxiety than father migration(p<0.001).Future research should focus on treatments to decrease social anxiety of left-behind children.These findings suggest that due to the long-term absence of parental migration,LBC are more vulnerable to negative emotional experiences and behaviours such as anxiety,distress,and avoidance during social interaction,especially for those with both parents absent from the home.Future research should focus on treatments to reduce social anxiety in LBC.

Twenty-seven Departments Establish a Joint Inter-ministry Meeting System for Care and Protection of Left-behind Children in Rural Areas

According to a document issued by the website of the Chinese government on April 5,in order to enhance the leadership and coordination of care and protection of left-behind children in rural areas and strengthen collaboration and cooperation between departments,

The Burden of Undiagnosed Hypertension and Associated Risk Factors among Adults in a Rural Community in Imo Sate, South-East Nigeria

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally and hypertension is a major contributor to this burden. Many people with hypertension have poorly controlled blood pressure and up to half of the adults with hypertension are unaware of their hypertensive status due to factors that bother on poor management and poor screening approaches. The implication is that people who have poor access to healthcare especially those in the rural communities are at increased risk of cardiovascular complications and all-cause mortality. Unfortunately, not much has been done to ascertain the burden of undiagnosed hypertension and associated risk factors in rural communities in Nigeria. Methods: We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study in a rural community in Imo State, Nigeria, on burden of undiagnosed hypertension with participants recruited via a multi-stage sampling method. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used, and standardized instruments were applied to obtain, process and analyze the data. Tests of association between the independent variables and outcome were conducted using logistic regression. P-value of Results: A total of 380 adults participated in the study. The mean age was 44.2 years. The prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension was 35.8%. Logistic regression revealed that age, with the respondents in the age groups 26 - 35 years (OR = 10.647, 1.910 - 59.345, p-value = 0.007), 36 - 45 (OR = 3.680, 1.263 - 10.723, p-value = 0.017), 46 - 55 years (OR = 2.737, 1.114 - 6.727, p-value = 0.039), 56 - 65 years old (OR = 3.384, 1.610 - 7.115, p-value = 0.001);and being married (OR = 3.846, 1.118 - 13.233, p-value = 0.033), were independent risk factors for undiagnosed hypertension. Conclusion: The prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension in the rural population of South-East Nigeria is high. Younger age (26 - 35 years) had the highest odds of risk for occurrence of hypertension. Also being married was identified as a risk factor for undiagnosed hypertension.