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Purpose: Eating jetlag (variation in eating times between weekdays and weekends) may increase obesity risk in adults, but studies in children are lacking. The potential moderating roles of social jetlag (SJL, variation in sleep timing between weekdays and weekends) and chronotype (an individual's intrinsic circadian rhythm) also remain unclear. We examined whether eating jetlag is associated with adiposity in Finnish preschoolers and whether chronotype or SJL moderate these associations.

Methods: Data included 639 children (3-6 years, 48% girls) from the cross-sectional DAGIS study (2015-2016). Diet was assessed using 3-day food records. SJL and chronotype were assessed from hip-worn accelerometer data. Six eating jetlag indicators were derived as weekend-weekday differences: first/last eating occasion jetlag, eating/energy intake midpoint jetlag and morning/evening latency jetlag. Adiposity was measured by BMI z-score and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Linear regression with interaction terms was used, with significant interactions examined in moderator-stratified analyses.

Results: Eating jetlag indicators were not associated with adiposity in the full sample. However, interaction analyses indicated moderation by SJL. Among children with high SJL (median 62 min, IQR 17), greater eating midpoint jetlag was associated with lower BMI z-score (β: - 0.65, 95% CI: - 1.21 to - 0.10), whereas greater morning latency jetlag was associated with higher BMI z-score (0.83, 0.19 to 1.46) and WHtR (0.035, 0.013 to 0.058). No consistent interactions were observed for chronotype.

Conclusion: Although no associations were observed between eating jetlag and adiposity in the full sample, associations varied by SJL. However, these findings require confirmation in longitudinal studies.

Background

The global prevalence of childhood obesity has increased significantly, with World Health Organisation emphasising the importance of early childhood for promoting healthy growth and development. In Finland, 29% of boys and 18% of girls aged 2–16 years are living with overweight or obesity. The DAGIS Intervention in 2017–2018 in Southwest Finland aimed to promote healthy energy-balance related behaviours (EBRBs) and self-regulation skills in early childhood education and family settings, hypothesising that improvements would reduce overweight prevalence, increase well-being, and enhance learning outcomes in pre-adolescence. DAGIS Salo is a follow-up study of the DAGIS Intervention, with parallel recruitment of a new cross-sectional sample. This paper describes the DAGIS Salo cohort profile, covering study design, recruitment, measurements, data processing and participant characteristics.

Methods

The DAGIS Salo study (2023–2024) consisted of a larger cross-sectional sample and, within it, a six-year follow-up sample from the DAGIS Intervention. All primary schoolchildren in grades 3–6 in Salo municipality in Southwest Finland and their caregivers were invited to participate, regardless of participation in the DAGIS Intervention. Schoolchildren provided information on movement behaviours (accelerometry), screen use, food consumption, psychosocial well-being, and recovery from stress (heart rate variability). Trained data collectors measured schoolchildren’s anthropometrics and administered learning tests. Caregivers provided information on physical and social home environment and child temperament. School and food service personnel provided information on the school environment.

Results

The DAGIS Salo cohort consists of 540 schoolchildren (27% of eligible participants), including the DAGIS Intervention follow-up sample of 207 schoolchildren (31% of participants from the DAGIS Intervention). The average age of schoolchildren in the cohort was 11 (± 1.15) years and 54% of participants were girls.

Conclusion

The DAGIS Salo study utilised a longitudinal and cross-sectional design, objective measures and validated instruments, and multiple perspectives to examine physical and social environments that influence schoolchildren’s health and behaviour. Study findings can advance equity in schoolchildren’s health, well-being and learning by identifying modifiable factors within early childhood education, home and school environments, to better support EBRBs, well-being and learning of those who need it most.

Trial registration

ISRCTN57165350 (8 January 2015).

Fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption is promoted by health authorities, but remains too low. In children, low FV consumption is linked to food neophobia (FN), the rejection of unfamiliar foods. Sensory properties play a key role in children's rejection of food, yet the role of olfaction in FN among children remains under-researched. This study explored FV liking, odor liking, and odor identification in 112 children, varying in FN (mean age 10.6, SD 0.91). The identification or liking of FV odors showed little direct correlation to FN. However, the sample demonstrated a positive connection between identifying a FV odor and liking it, suggesting that odor familiarization may increase odor liking. Additionally, FV odor liking was associated with liking a corresponding food sample, suggesting food odors play a key role in FV liking. Future research should explore the effect of odor enhancement interventions on FN and FV acceptance.

Background

General parenting describes a parents' overall approach to parenting across situations, creating the emotional climate of the parent-child relationship. Some general parenting constructs have been associated with children's health behaviors. However, overprotective parenting-marked by excessive involvement and control with limited autonomy support relative to the child's developmental level-remains largely understudied in relation to preschoolers' physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST), as do the potential moderating effects of sociodemographic variables in these associations. Therefore, we examined the associations of overprotection with PA and ST among Finnish preschoolers and explored whether parental education or children's sex moderated these associations.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 798 Finnish 3-6-year-olds and their parents from the DAGIS Survey. Parents completed an overprotection scale from an item-reduced version of the Comprehensive General Parenting Questionnaire. Children's ST was parent-reported via a seven-day diary, while PA was measured with Actigraph accelerometers (for seven days). Weekday, weekend, and overall averages were computed for ST, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and total physical activity (TPA). Linear mixed-effects models were used for analyses. The models were adjusted for the child's age and sex, parental education, number of children in the household, birth order, and questionnaire respondent (mother/father). Moderation by sex and education was tested by adding the corresponding interaction terms to the models.

Results

Children's weighted averages were 71 min of MVPA, 398 min of TPA, and 76 min of ST per day. Overprotection was inversely associated with weekend MVPA (B: -3.49, 95%CI: -6.50; -0.48), weekend TPA (B: -9.94, 95%CI: -16.56; -3.34), and overall average TPA (B: -5.70, 95%CI: -10.78; -0.64). No associations with ST were found, nor were any associations moderated by sex or parental education.

Conclusions

These results suggest an association between higher overprotection and lower PA among preschool-aged children regardless of child sex and parental educational level. We hypothesize that overprotective parents may, for example, restrict children's PA due to safety concerns. Although the mechanisms and causality of the associations found require further investigation, identifying and addressing overprotective parenting could be beneficial in PA-promoting interventions.

Background: Early childhood is an important period for adopting a healthy diet to support long-term health. In Finland, data on how usual nutrient intake meets requirements in young children are lacking.

Objective: We evaluated usual nutrient intake from food sources and adherence to dietary reference values among Finnish preschoolers.

Design: We used cross-sectional data from the DAGIS survey conducted in 2015-2016 among 3-6-year-old Finnish preschoolers (n = 808). Dietary intake was assessed using 3-day food records, complemented with a 2-day food record in a subsample. National Cancer Institute methods were applied to estimate the usual intake distributions of macronutrients, vitamins and minerals for each age group (3-, 4-, 5-and 6-year-olds) and to assess the proportions of children below and above the most recent dietary reference values.

Results: Mean protein intake was 17 E% in all age groups, and the fibre density of the diets averaged 2.5-2.6 g/MJ. High proportions of children had intakes above the recommended intake levels for saturated fatty acids (80-86% depending on age), free sugars (42-47%) and sodium (96-99%), and below the recommended intake level for polyunsaturated fatty acids (43-48%). High proportions of children had intakes below the average requirement for vitamin D (24-33%), vitamin E (61-76%) and iron (36% in 3-year-olds). Intakes above the tolerable upper intake level were detected for zinc (58% in 3-year-olds; 6.1-17% in 4-6-year-olds) and iodine (26% in 3-year-olds; 6.4-11% in 4-6-year-olds).

Conclusions: Developing strategies to reduce particularly saturated fatty acid and sodium intakes in Finnish preschoolers is essential for early prevention of chronic diseases. Our results warrant regular monitoring of usual nutrient intake in young Finnish children to support timely and evidence-based decision-making.

Family meals are positively associated with healthier diets among children and parents. We aimed to deepen the understanding of these relationships by exploring the associations between shared meals and dietary quality among children, fathers and mothers. A subset of parent-child dyads (296 children aged 3-6 years, 103 fathers, 293 mothers) from the DAGIS Intervention baseline assessment was included in this cross-sectional study. The parents reported how often they shared meals with the child and filled in a food frequency questionnaire assessing their child's and their own food consumption. A Healthy Food Intake Index (HFII) describing dietary quality was calculated for all family members. We used linear regression to investigate the associations between shared meals and the HFII of the children, fathers and mothers. Models were adjusted for child's age and gender, parent's age and educational level and number of children in the household. Children whose fathers reported less frequently sharing a weekend lunch with the child had a lower HFII (B estimate -1·58, 95 % CI -2·66, -0·50). The association remained close to statistical significance with adjustments (B estimate -0·99, 95 % CI -2·17, 0·19). A less frequently shared weekend lunch was also borderline significantly associated with lower HFII among the fathers (adjusted model, B estimate -1·13, 95 % CI -2·30, 0·04). Fathers should be encouraged to share meals with their family, since it might have a role in the dietary quality of both children and fathers. Future studies should recognise fathers as important contributors to a healthy home food environment.

Purpose

Chrononutrition, encompassing timing, frequency, and regularity of dietary intake, may affect metabolic health and chronic illness risk, making early dietary patterns crucial. This study aimed to explore potential determinants of chrononutrition among preschoolers.

Methods

The cross-sectional DAGIS study included 677 Finnish preschoolers aged 3–6. Data were collected through 3-day food records and 7-day actigraphy-measured sleep. ANCOVA and linear regression were used to analyze associations between potential determinants—chronotype, SES, parental work hours, age, and sex—and chrononutrition variables (timing of the first and last EOs, energy and eating midpoints, duration of the fasting window, morning and evening latency, and the number of EOs).

Results

A later chronotype was associated with later timing for first and last EOs, eating and energy midpoints (p < 0.001), shorter morning (p = 0.002), and longer evening latency (p < 0.001). Children whose fathers worked regular hours had a longer fasting window compared to children whose fathers did not work (p = 0.03), and a longer morning latency compared to children whose fathers did shift work (p = 0.04). High SES was associated with later energy midpoint (p = 0.004). On weekdays children whose mothers worked regular hours had their first EO earlier compared to children whose mothers worked shifts (p = 0.006) and a shorter fasting window (p = 0.009). During weekend days boys had a longer morning latency compared to girls (p < 0.001), and children with morning (p = 0.006) and intermediate (p = 0.02) chronotypes had more EOs compared to evening chronotypes.

Conclusion

Chronotype was a key determinant of the timing of food intake in Finnish preschool-aged children, while sociodemographic factors had a less pronounced association.

Rejection of food, including fruits and vegetables, is prevalent among children. In adolescents and adults, a link has been observed between food neophobia (the rejection of unfamiliar foods) and olfaction, which plays a key role in food acceptance. However, research on olfaction's role in food acceptance and rejection among children is limited. Utilizing the U-sniff test and the Italian Child Neophobia Scale, this study investigated associations between odor awareness, odor identification, food neophobia, and the acceptance of fruits and vegetables in Swedish children aged 9-12 years (n = 126). A Swedish version of the ChiPSO questionnaire on odor awareness (including subscales for food, social and environmental odors) was developed, and initial validation conducted through back translation, cognitive interviews, and exploratory factor analysis. Fruit and vegetable acceptance was assessed through a questionnaire and a tasting session. Findings indicated that food neophobia was associated with lower fruit and vegetable acceptance (questionnaire rho = -0.296, p = 0.002; tasting session rho = -0.273, p = 0.004) but no significant associations observed with odor awareness (rho = 0.159, p = 0.094) or odor identification performance (rho = -0.141, p = 0.176). However, odor awareness was negatively associated with vegetable acceptance (rho = -0.200, p = 0.034), while odor identification performance showed no significant associations (questionnaire rho = -0.049, p = 0.638; tasting session rho = -0.101, p = 0.316). A negative association was found between odor identification performance and environmental odor awareness (rho = -0.269, p = 0.010). This suggests that some children may struggle to identify odors due to emotional reactions and avoidant behaviors, reducing engagement and hindering identification. Further exploration of the relationship between olfaction and children's food acceptance or rejection is encouraged.

Background/Objectives

Circadian health plays an important role in overall well-being. The objective of this study was to examine whether potential indicators of circadian disruption, such as exhibiting a later chronotype or greater social jetlag, in preschool-age could predict dietary habits or BMI z-scores in an eight-year follow-up.

Subjects/Methods

Our data included 210 children who participated in the DAGIS Survey in 2015–2016 (baseline, mean [SD] age: 4.69 [0.89] years) and DAGIS Next in 2023 (follow-up, age: 12.03 [0.90] years). Chronotype and social jetlag were calculated from baseline sleep measures assessed from 7-day actigraphy. Diet was assessed at follow-up with a Food Frequency Questionnaire, which evaluated the weekly consumption frequency of (1) fruits and vegetables and (2) sugary foods and drinks. BMI z-score based on Finnish growth references was calculated from height and weight measures from baseline and follow-up. Associations were analyzed with linear regression models.

Results

Follow-up BMI z-score was predicted by both preschool-aged chronotype (β-est: 0.22 [95% CI: 0.01, 0.42] p = 0.03) and social jetlag (β-est: 0.33 [95% CI: 0.02, 0.65], p = 0.04) after covariate adjustment. No associations were observed between preschool-aged chronotype or social jetlag and preadolescent fruit and vegetable or sugary food and drink consumption.

Conclusions

Having a later chronotype and greater social jetlag during preschool age predicted a higher preadolescent weight outcome. Obesity prevention initiatives should include efforts to reduce the risk of circadian disruption among young children, by accounting for chronotype and aiming to reduce social jetlag in interventions.

Compared with ample evidence on the influence of the home food environment on children's food consumption, associations between certain aspects of the social home food environment (such as parental self-efficacy (PSE) and parental restrictions) and young children's food consumption are less studied. Our aims were 1) to investigate the associations among feeding-related PSE, sugary food and drink (SFD)-related parental restrictions, and children's food consumption, and 2) to determine whether socio-economic factors (parental education level and household relative income) moderate them. We used cross-sectional data from 564 Finnish 3- to 6-year-olds participating in the DAGIS study. Parents completed a questionnaire assessing the home food environment and socio-economic status and a food frequency questionnaire assessing children's food consumption. Principal component analysis was used to identify SFD-related parental restriction patterns. We calculated a children's Healthy Food Intake Index (HFII) using food frequency data. We regressed the associations among feeding-related PSE and SFD-related parental restriction patterns in single and multiple regression models. Moderation by parental education level and household relative income was also tested. We identified three SFD-related parenting practice patterns: restricting SFD consumption, restricting SFD accessibility, and restricting SFD availability. Feeding-related PSE (B = 0.88, p < 0.001) and restricting SFD availability (B = 0.46, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the children's HFII after adjusting the model for socio-economic factors. Parental education level or household relative income did not moderate any of these associations. Future health promotion interventions should target enhancing feeding-related PSE and restricting SFD availability to improve children's food consumption despite socio-economic status.