Objective: To explore intergenerational health habits and compare differences between urban and rural families.
Methods: A total of 2500 families with children ages 6-18 in China were surveyed regarding their health habits.
Results: Urban families reported significantly greater food variety and more time exercising (for fathers and children) than did rural families. Children's exercise time was associated with fathers' exercise time, whereas children's drinking and smoking were associated with mothers' drinking and smoking.
Conclusions: These linkages across generations in health habits highlight the need to develop preventive strategies with consideration for intergenerational influences and rural-urban differences.