Journal Article

Healthy weight, health behaviours and quality of life among Aboriginal children living in regional Victoria

Brown, Andrew D., Alston, Laura, Egan, Mikaela, Whelan, Jill, Ryan, Joleen, Browne, Jennifer, Walker, Troy, Rossignoli, Amy, Backholer, Kathryn, Strugnell, Claudia, Hayward, Josh, Bell, Colin, Sanigorski, Andrew, Le, Ha, Johnson, Brittney, Orellana, Liliana, Crooks, Nicholas, Becker, Denise, Bolton, Kristy A., Fraser, Penny, Allender, Steven

2022

Overview

To report the prevalence of healthy weight and related behaviours among Victorian Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal children and explore associations between these factors and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). Analysis of cross‐sectional data from two cluster randomised controlled trials using logistic and linear mixed models. The sample included Aboriginal (n=303) and non‐Aboriginal (n=3,026) children aged 8–13 years. More than two‐thirds of Aboriginal children met guidelines for fruit (75.9%), sweetened drinks (66.7%), sleep (73.1%), screen time (67.7%) and objectively measured physical activity (83.6%); and 79.1% reported consuming take‐away foods less than once per week. Aboriginal children were more likely to meet vegetable consumption guidelines (OR=1.42, 95%CI: 1.05, 1.93), but less likely to have a healthy weight (OR=0.66, 95%CI: 0.52, 0.85) than non‐Aboriginal children. Mean HRQoL scores were significantly higher among non‐Aboriginal children and both Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal children meeting health guidelines. Most Aboriginal children in this study met guidelines for fruit, physical activity, screen time and sleep, and those meeting these guidelines had significantly higher HRQoL. Promoting nutrition, physical activity and sleep is likely to benefit all children. Aboriginal community‐controlled organisations can use these data to design culturally‐specific programs that may improve disparities in healthy weight and HRQoL.

• Publisher: Elsevier B.V,John Wiley & Sons, Inc,Elsevier Limited,Elsevier
• Subject: Aboriginal health / Age / Australian aborigines / Behavior / Beverages / Children / Children & youth / Children of minorities / Childrens health / Data quality / Dietary guidelines / Drinks / Exercise / Food consumption / Fruit / Fruits / Guidelines / Health aspects / Health behavior / Health care / Health education / Health promotion / Health status / Healthy food / healthy weight / Indigenous health / Indigenous peoples / Native peoples / Nutrition / Nutrition research / Obesity / Physical activity / Physical fitness / Psychological aspects / Public health / Quality of life / Questionnaires / Screen time / Self report / Sleep / Social aspects / Students / Time use