Search Results (5)

Background: Being breastfed, following a healthy diet and staying active during childhood shape health trajectories across the life course, promoting long-term well-being. Despite the growing immigrant child population in Portugal, evidence on these behaviours, particularly among preschool-aged children, remains limited. In this context, this study examines the associations between migrant status and breastfeeding patterns, fruit and vegetable consumption, and participation in sports among children living in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Methods: A cross-sectional study nested within a cross-sequential cohort was carried out in the Lisbon region between May 2022 and April 2024. Approximately 760 children (49.4% immigrants) born in 2018 and 2020 were enrolled in the study. Data were collected through a face-to-face interview with parents, using a structured questionnaire with information on socioeconomic variables, migration history, breastfeeding habits, and children’s diet (fruit and vegetable consumption) and physical activity. We used parametric and non-parametric tests to compare migrant and non-migrant children. To quantify factors associated with the main outcomes, we estimated a logistic regression model and calculated crude and adjusted odds ratios and their respective 95%CI. Results: Immigrant children were disproportionately represented in socioeconomically disadvantaged families. Breastfeeding initiation rates were higher among immigrant mothers (96.3% vs. 87.6%, p < 0.001). Additionally, immigrant mothers had a longer median duration of any breastfeeding (14 vs. 8 months, p < 0.001) and of exclusive breastfeeding (6 vs. 4 months, p < 0.001). Immigrant children had significantly lower odds of consuming three or more portions of fruit (aOR = 0.700; 95%CI: 0.511–0.959; p = 0.027) and two or more portions of vegetables per day (aOR = 0.489; 95%CI: 0.350–0.684; p < 0.001) compared with non-immigrant children. They were also twice as likely to not engage in sports (aOR = 2.185; 95%CI: 1.512–3.158; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Breastfeeding was better implemented in immigrant children. The findings highlight the need to address social determinants of health and the challenges faced by immigrant families in promoting a balanced diet and sports participation for their children. Multisectoral, culturally appropriate interventions that sustain and promote good breastfeeding practices, improve access to healthy food, and encourage sports are crucial to reducing health inequalities. Full article

Objective: To assess the barriers to parental compliance with preschool vision screening tests and the recommended follow-up eye care. Methods: This prospective study included children aged 3–6 years attending 46 preschools. Parents were asked for consent for their children to participate in a vision screening test. Parents whose child did not participate due to lack of parental consent and parents whose child failed the screening test were contacted by telephone and given a standardized questionnaire to identify potential barriers to compliance. Results: A total of 1511 children (mean age 4.76 years ± 0.76, 51.3% boys) were eligible for vision screening. Consent was given by the parents of 1295 children (85.7%). Lack of consent in children who had never been examined by an ophthalmologist was primarily due to unawareness of the screening test or other logistical reasons (117 cases, 92.1%). Of the children screened, 140 (11.1%) failed the test and 80.0% of their parents adhered to the recommended follow-up eye care. Parents who followed the screening vision test recommendations were more likely to be native language speakers (82.8% vs. 58.8% mothers and 88.9% vs. 60.0% fathers; p = 0.049 and 0.015, respectively). There was a higher chance of at least one parent being native-born if recommendations were followed (90.6% vs. 58.8%, p = 0.004). All other factors tested were insignificant. Conclusions: Parental consent and cooperation with vision screening test and its recommendations were high. Migrant families are more likely to face challenges in following vision screening test recommendations, underscoring the need for tailored approaches for specific populations. Full article

In China, some rural parents do not live together with their children because they migrate to urban regions for work, and therefore they sometimes use a mobile phone in parenting their left-behind children (LBC), who are living with grandparents. This study used a serial mediation model to test the mediating roles of distant mothering and post-separation mother–child relationship quality in the link between recalled pre-separation mother–child relationship quality and social–emotional adjustment of 3-to-6-year-old LBC living in a rural context in China. Cross-sectional questionnaire data were collected from 185 triads, consisting of grandparents (rating child adjustment), migrant mothers (rating mother–child relationship qualities and distant mothering), and preschool teachers (rating child adjustment). The results showed that pre- and post-separation relationship qualities were positively related to each other and to positive distant mothering. There were no serial mediating effects, but a full individual mediating role of post-separation relationship quality and positive distant mothering was identified for the link between child prosocial behavior and externalizing problems, respectively. Despite the general decline in mother–child relationship quality after separation, mothers who perceived a higher quality of the pre-separation mother–child relationship showed a more cohesive relationship with their LBC, which might increase the prosocial behavior of the children. Additionally, a higher quality of the pre-separation relationship was associated with more distant mothering of positive characteristics, which went together with fewer children externalizing problems. These findings highlight the importance of a continuous high-quality mother–child bond and favorable maternal parenting practices in digital interactions for separated families. Full article

The present study explored the moderating role of household chaos and gender in the relation between social avoidance and social adjustment among Chinese preschool migrant children. Participants were 148 children (82 boys, M_age = 62.63 months, SD = 0.05) from two kindergartens, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. Multi-source assessments included: (1) mother ratings of children’s social avoidance; (2) mother ratings of families’ household chaos; (3) teacher ratings of children’s prosocial behavior, peer exclusion, interpersonal skills, and internalizing problems. Results showed that social avoidance significantly predicted peer exclusion among Chinese migrant preschoolers. Moreover, household chaos moderated the relationship between social avoidance and social adjustment. Specifically, at higher levels of household chaos, social avoidance was negatively associated with interpersonal skills. In contrast, social avoidance was not associated with interpersonal skills at a lower level of household chaos. In addition, social avoidance was positively associated with peer exclusion among boys but not girls. The current findings inform us of the importance of reducing household chaos to buffer the negative adjustment among socially avoidant young children who migrated from rural to urban China. The findings also highlight the need to pay particular attention to migrant socially avoidant boys’ development in early childhood and the importance of considering the meaning and implication of social avoidance for migrant preschoolers in Chinese culture. Full article

Background: Migration background is known to be an important risk factor for a number of medical outcomes. Still, relatively little is known about the epidemiologic relevance of different definitions of migration status. Methods: Data from 5250 school entry examinations spanning three consecutive years (2015–2017) were gathered from the Public Health Department in Halle, Germany. Data were stratified according to six different migration statuses and evaluated for differences in health service utilization and developmental outcomes. Results: Compared to non-migrant children, migrant children have a lower utilization of preventative services, and higher frequencies of developmental delays. Children with first-generation migration background consistently show results worse than all others, while children with one-sided second-generation migration background show results similar to those of their non-migrant peers. These findings are not substantially altered by adjustment for social status. Conclusions: Children with first-generation migration background should receive special attention in school entry examinations, since they constitute a group with consistently higher health risks compared to other groups of preschoolers. Full article