Social and Physical Environmental Factors and Child Overweight in a Sample of American and Czech School-aged Children: A Pilot Study

Abstract Objective To compare environmental factors that influence body mass index for age (BMI-for-age) between a sample of American and Czech school-aged children. Design Pilot study. A parent questionnaire and school visits were used to collect data from parents and children. Setting Public schools in 1 American and 2 Czech cities. Participants Forty-five American and 97 Czech 4th - through 6th -graders and their parents. Variables Measured Parenting style, food socialization and preparation practices, healthful food availability, and children's BMI-for-age were measured. Analysis Factors from the parental scales were derived using factor analysis. Independent t tests compared environmental factors between American and Czech families. A regression model was used to identify environmental variables associated with BMI-for-age. Results American parents used authoritative parenting style and positive food socialization practices more often than Czech parents ( P