Associations of socioeconomic status indicators and migrant status with risk of a low vegetable and fruit consumption in children.

BACKGROUND: It is important to provide insight in potential target groups for interventions to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in children's vegetable/fruit consumption. In earlier studies often single indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) or migrant status have been used. However, SES is a multidimensional concept and different indicators may measure different SES dimensions. Our objective is to explore multiple associations of SES indicators and migrant status with risk of a low vegetable/fruit consumption in a large multi-ethnic and socioeconomically diverse sample of children. METHODS: We included 5,010 parents of 4- to 12-year-olds from a Dutch public health survey administered in 2018. Cross-sectional associations of parental education, material deprivation, perceived financial difficulties, neighbourhood socioeconomic status (NSES) and migrant status with low (≤4 days a week) vegetable and fruit consumption in children were assessed using multilevel multivariable logistic regression models. Results are displayed as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Of the 4- to 12-year-olds, 22.1% had a low vegetable consumption and 11.9% a low fruit consumption. Low (OR 2.51; 95%CI: 2.05, 3.07) and intermediate (OR 1.83; 95%CI: 1.54, 2.17) parental education, material deprivation (OR 1.45; 95%CI: 1.19, 1.76), low NSES (OR 1.28; 95%CI: 1.04, 1.58) and a non-Western migrant status (OR 1.94; 95%CI: 1.66, 2.26) were associated with a higher risk of a low vegetable consumption. Low (OR 1.68; 95%CI: 1.31, 2.17) and intermediate (OR 1.39; 95%CI: 1.12, 1.72) parental education and material deprivation (OR 1.63; 95%CI: 11.27, 2.08) were also associated with a higher risk of a low fruit consumption. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate associations of multiple SES indicators and migrant status with a higher risk of a low vegetable/fruit consumption in children and thus help to identify potential target groups.

Independent contributions of family and neighbourhood indicators of socioeconomic status and migrant status to risk of mental health problems in 4-12 year old children.

RATIONALE: A range of family and neighbourhood indicators of socioeconomic status and migrant status have been shown to be associated with risk of mental health l problems (MHP) in children. In this study we determined the independent contributions of these indicators. OBJECTIVES: The main objective is to examine independent associations of family and neighbourhood socioeconomic status indicators and migrant status with risk of MHP in children. METHODS: We analyzed data from an anonymous public health survey among 5010 parents/caretakers of children aged 4-12 years living in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, gathered in 2018. Outcome of interest was risk of MHP measured using the total difficulties score of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Associations of parent-reported perceived financial difficulties, material deprivation (not being able to provide certain goods, or leisure, educational or cultural activities or care use for children due to financial restrictions), parental educational level, child's migrant status and neighbourhood socioeconomic status with risk of MHP and with the total difficulties score were assessed using multilevel multivariable logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS: In total, 473 (9.5%) children had a high risk of MHP. We observed independent associations of perceived financial difficulties, material deprivation and parental educational level with risk of MHP and with an increase in total difficulties score (P < 0.05). Migrant status and neighbourhood socioeconomic status were not independently associated with risk of MHP or a change in total difficulties score. CONCLUSIONS: Already in early life, perceived financial difficulties by parents, material deprivation reported by parents and lower parental education appeared to be independently associated with the risk of MHP in 4-12 year olds. Health professionals should be aware of the relatively higher risks in these subgroups and consider policies address this.

Ethnic Differences in Fall Risk Among Community-Dwelling Older People in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: This study measures the prevalence of falls and fear of falling among a population sample aged ≥65 years from different ethnic minorities living in the Netherlands, and examines whether ethnicity contributed to the differences in fall risk. METHOD: We analyzed data from 8,892 Dutch, Moroccan, Turkish, and Surinamese participants. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses were conducted with falls and fear of falling as the dependent variable and ethnicity as the independent variable. RESULTS: Moroccan, Turkish, and Surinamese older adults had a significantly higher odds ratio (OR) for fear of falling than their Dutch counterparts (OR = 2.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.05, 4.31]; OR = 2.09, 95% CI = [1.07, 4.09]; and OR = 2.49, 95% CI = [1.53, 4.03], respectively). The association between ethnicity and falling disappeared after controlling for socio-demographic and health characteristics. DISCUSSION: Dutch minority older adults were at higher risk for fear of falling than their Dutch counterparts. The study underlines the need for targeting culture-sensitive interventions.

Overweight and obesity in young Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese migrants of the second generation in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in overweight and obesity of second-generation Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese migrants v. first-generation migrants and the ethnic Dutch. We also studied the influence of sociodemographic factors on this association. DESIGN: Data were collected in 2008 in a cross-sectional postal and online health survey. SETTING: Four major Dutch cities. SUBJECTS: In the survey 42 686 residents aged 16 years and over participated. Data from Dutch (n 3615) and second/first-generation Surinamese (n 230/139), Turkish (n 203/241) and Moroccan (n 172/187) participants aged 16-34 years were analysed using logistic regression with overweight (BMI ≥ 25·0 kg/m²) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30·0 kg/m²) as dependent variables. BMI was calculated from self-reported body height and weight. Sociodemographic variables included sex, age, marital status, educational level, employment status and financial situation. RESULTS: After controlling for age, overweight (including obesity) was more prevalent in most second-generation migrant subgroups compared with the Dutch population, except for Moroccan men. Obesity rates among second-generation migrant men were similar to those among the Dutch. Second-generation migrant women were more often obese than Dutch women. Ethnic differences were partly explained by the lower educational level of second-generation migrants. Differences in overweight between second- and first-generation migrants were only found among Moroccan and Surinamese men. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find a converging trend for the overweight and obesity prevalence from second-generation migrants towards the Dutch host population. Therefore, preventive interventions should also focus on second-generation migrants to stop the obesity epidemic.