Mother's eating beliefs and attitudes and their influence on mother-child binomial anthropometry

• Grant number: 20/02047-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2020
• End date: September 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Carla Maria Ramos Germano
• Grantee: Gustavo Luis de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Childhood obesity currently imposes itself as a worrying public health problem in Brazil and in the world, so the understanding of its causal, conditioning and aggravating factors is fundamental to better guide health care. However, there is still a relative paucity of studies that analysis the topic from the family dynamics perspective. Therefore, the present work aims to better understand how parents' nutritional status, food conceptions and eating behaviors are related to those of their children. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative research that will be developed in the Family Health Units of São Carlos, in a convenience sample. In total, 132 children of both sexes between 5 and 8 years of age will be selected. Data collection will take place only after the signing the Free and Informed Consent Form (ICF) by legal guardians. The anthropometric data: weight, height and waist circumference will be determined with the use of properly certified instruments and in an appropriate environment. Aspects of family dynamics regarding children's feeding will be investigated by the CFQ (Child Feeding Questionnaire), and sociodemographic variables of importance by a sociodemographic questionnaire. The results will be presented as mean±standard deviation, median, minimum and maximum for quantitative variables and as frequency and percentage for qualitative variables. The statistical significance of the differences among the variables will be determined by analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Bonferroni multiple comparison test or by the t test, depending on the number of variables analyzed. Pearson's correlation test will be used to assess the degree of binary correlation between variables. The comparison among categorical variables will be done using the chi square test (or Fisher's test, depending on the number of occurrences). The multiple correlation analysis will be performed by the Linear Regression method. The analysis of variables capable of modifying a given outcome (Odds ratio) will be performed by the logistic regression test. The internal consistency of the questionnaire results will be assessed by the Cronbach's alpha test (±) and the level of significance to be adopted will be 5%.