Association between family structure, maternal education level, and maternal employment with sedentary lifestyle in primary school-age children

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between family structure, maternal education level, and maternal employment with sedentary lifestyle in primary school-age children. METHOD: Data were obtained from 897 children aged 6 to 12 years. A questionnaire was used to collect information. Body mass index (BMI) was determined using the age- and gender-specific Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition. Children were categorized as: normal weight (5th percentile 95th percentile). For the analysis, overweight was defined as BMI at or above the 85th percentile for each gender. Adjusted odds ratios (adjusted ORs) for physical inactivity were determined using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight was 40.7%, and of sedentary lifestyle, 57.2%. The percentage of non-intact families was 23.5%. Approximately 48.7% of the mothers had a non-acceptable educational level, and 38.8% of the mothers worked outside of the home. The logistic regression model showed that living in a non-intact family household (adjusted OR = 1.67; 95% CI = 1.04-2.66) is associated with sedentary lifestyle in overweight children. In the group of normal weight children, logistic regression analysis show that living in a non-intact family, having a mother with a non-acceptable education level, and having a mother who works outside of the home were not associated with sedentary lifestyle. CONCLUSION: Living in a non-intact family, more than low maternal educational level and having a working mother, appears to be associated with sedentary lifestyle in overweight primary school-age children.