Teachers’ lifestyle and parents’ education level influence Chinese children’s nutritional choices. It emerges from a study published in ‘European Journal of Public Health’ and conducted in China on more than 11,000 pupils in 48 schools.
The research testifies to the growing awareness in China of the prevention of overweight and obesity in young segments of the population. And it highlights the crucial role of school and family education in the transmission of healthy behavioral patterns.
Indeed, the nearly 24,000 questionnaires filled out by children, families and teachers show that good eating habits (regular consumption of vegetables and dairy products) are characteristic of students with healthy teachers (non-smokers and dedicated to exercise) and well-educated family members. The best results, however, are observed among those living in rural areas, while among those living in cities there is a tendency toward excessively caloric diets.
