Association between health literacy and child and adolescent obesity

Abstract

Objective: We tested the association between child and parental health literacy (HL) and odds of child and adolescent obesity.

Methods: We conducted an anonymous cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of English-speaking child-parent dyads. Newest Vital Sign (NVS) measured HL. We used multivariable logistic regression to test adjusted association between child and parental NVS and obesity. Analyses were stratified for school-aged children (aged 7-11) vs. adolescents (aged 12-19).

Results: We surveyed 239 child-parent dyads. Median child age was 11 [inter-quartile range 9-13]; 123 (51%) were male; 84% Medicaid recipients; 27% obese. For children, the odds of obesity [adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval)] decreased with higher parent NVS [0.75 (0.56,1.00)] and increased with parent obesity [2.53 (1.08,5.94)]. For adolescents, odds of obesity were higher for adolescents with the lowest category of NVS [5.00 (1.26, 19.8)] and older parental age [1.07 (1.01,1.14)] and lower for Medicaid recipients [0.21 (0.06,0.78)] and higher parental education [0.38 (0.22,0.63)].

Conclusion: Obesity in school-aged children is associated with parental factors (obesity, parental HL); obesity in adolescents is strongly associated with the adolescent's HL.

Practice implications: Strategies to prevent and treat obesity should consider limited HL of parents for child obesity and of adolescents for adolescent obesity.

Keywords: Health literacy; Newest vital sign; Obesity.