Investigating home environment influences on obesity in urban
Egyptian children aged 2-12

Shaltout, M

Abstract

The home environment is highlighted as a key determinant of children’s weight, but has
not been investigated in Egypt. As a result this mixed methods study was undertaken to
examine (1) relationships between the home environment and Egyptian children’s (aged 2- 12) weight (2) socio-economic differences in home environments (3) caregivers’ perceptions
of obesity, and (4) children’s dietary and physical activity (PA) habits. Firstly, the Healthy
Home Survey (HHS), was administered to households (n = 210) in three different SES areas
in Cairo, examining the food and PA environment (including availability/accessibility and
parental modelling/policies). Then semi-structured interviews with caregivers (n = 17)
explored parental perceptions of obesity and children’s dietary/PA habits. The HHS indicated
that after adjusting for age and gender, greater accessibility to unhealthy food (p < 0.01), less
PA on weekends (p < 0.01), greater sedentary weekday activity (p < 0.01), and unhealthier
parental PA modelling (p < 0.01) significantly predicted lower childhood weight. Higher SES
areas and income groups had significantly better outdoor area characteristics (p < 0.001),
and significantly more healthy and unhealthy (p < 0.001) food availability and greater media
availability (p < 0.001). Interviews indicated that: caregivers perceived obesity as
predominantly a female issue; children were defined as eating well by quantity (not quality);
parents were stricter on daughters’ weights for aesthetic purposes; boys engaged in more
outdoor play; PA settings differed among children from different SES areas; and unhealthy
food was available in all households, but differed between SES areas in nature and
affordability. This study recommends more detailed investigation of home environment
variables (particularly food availability/accessibility, sedentary behaviours and cultural
perceptions) on obesity in Egypt, as well as a need to initiate family based obesity awareness
and intervention programmes.

Citation

Egyptian children aged 2-12. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jul 20, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 20, 2015