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Dietary diversity and mental health in preschoolers in rural China
- Source :
- Public Health Nutr
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- Cambridge University Press, 2020.
-
Abstract
- Objective:To investigate the prevalence of mental health problems among preschoolers in rural China and examine the relationship between dietary diversity and mental health.Design:A cross-sectional survey analysis was performed. Child mental health was assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Child dietary diversity was assessed with the dietary diversity score (DDS), which was calculated based on nine food groups using a 24-h recall method. Data were analysed using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models.Setting:Two nationally designated poverty counties in Hunan Province of China.Participants:Preschoolers (n 1334) aged 3–5 years, preschools (n 26).Results:Of 950 preschoolers with data on both dietary diversity and mental health, 663 (70 %) were classified as having at least one kind of mental health problem. The prevalences of emotional symptoms, conduct problems, symptoms of hyperactive/inattention, peer relationship problems and poor prosocial behaviour were 39, 27, 23, 12 and 26 %, respectively. Male preschoolers showed higher risks of having mental health problems than their female counterparts on each SDQ subscale except for conduct problems. Moreover, a higher DDS was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of having symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems and prosocial behaviour problems after adjustment for confounders (preschoolers’ age, gender, cognitive ability, parental migration status, primary caregiver’s education and household socio-economic status).Conclusions:The prevalence of mental health problems was high among preschoolers in rural China. Improving child dietary diversity might be an important strategy to consider in the design of interventions to improve child mental health.
- Subjects :
- Male
Rural Population
China
Psychological intervention
Medicine (miscellaneous)
Logistic regression
Food group
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Surveys and Questionnaires
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Nutrition and Dietetics
Poverty
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Cognition
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
Mental health
030227 psychiatry
Diet
Cross-Sectional Studies
Mental Health
Prosocial behavior
Child, Preschool
Female
Psychology
Clinical psychology
Research Paper
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13689800
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Public Health Nutr
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....95bd33cc0227664af17994aae8f282ba