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.