Jasmina Hasanović

Childhood obesity is frequently linked to poor dietary habits, however, there are confl icting results regarding status of specifi c food groups consumptionand dietary habits like (un)regular breakfast consumption. The aim of this study was to explore food and beverages intakes associated with obesityamong children enrolled in the CroCOSI study as part of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative. This cross-sectional studyinvestigated dietary habits of school-aged children on a nationally representative sample (n=5608; 7-10 years). Parents or caregivers completeda questionnaire with indicators of dietary habits, and children’s body weight and height were measured. The 2007 WHO recommended growthreference for school-age children was used to compute BMI-for-age Z-scores. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed.The prevalence of obesity among Croatian children was 15.6%. Children who consume breakfast (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.60–0.87), fruits (OR 0.82,95% CI 0.68–0.97) and cereals (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.52–0.97) every day were less likely to have obesity. Further, children who had ≥4 servings of softdrinks weekly were 1.17 (95% CI 1.07–1.36) times more likely to have obesity. Other food groups showed no signifi cant associations with obesity.Daily consumption of fruits and cereals was associated with a lower risk of obesity in children. Skipping breakfast and the intake ≥4 servings of softdrinks per week was associated with a higher likelihood of obesity in this population of school-age children. Interventions with the aim to reduceprevalence of obesity in school-age children in Croatia can be based on the obtained results.

Background: While previous research on children’s diets has primarily focused on individual nutrients or foods, recent years have seen increasing attention to the analysis of dietary patterns. In school-aged children enrolled in the CroCOSI study, this research focused on identifying the dietary patterns and examining their potential links with childhood obesity. Methods: Data were collected from a nationally representative sample comprising 5608 children aged 7–10 years and their parents in this cross-sectional study. To evaluate the nutritional status of the children, BMI-for-age was assessed using z-score values. Results: A factor analysis using data from the FFQ revealed three dietary patterns: Western, Healthy, and Breakfast. Children who scored high for consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish, cheese, dairy products, and 100% fruit juice were categorized into the Healthy dietary pattern, whereas those with high scores for cereals and milk were assigned to the Breakfast dietary pattern. Conclusions: The Western dietary pattern did not show a significant relationship with obesity among school-aged children (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.98–1.00; p = 0.11). The risk of obesity was lower among children following the Healthy (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.98–0.99; p = 0.045) and Breakfast (OR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95–0.99; p = 0.001) dietary patterns.The results can help in creating food policies with the aim of reducing childhood obesity in Croatia.

Background: There has yet to be an agreement on which specific socioeconomic status (SES) indicator most effectively reflects disparities in children’s diets. However, children from lower SES backgrounds are particularly vulnerable, as research in other countries indicates that their diets contain fewer fruits and vegetables and more sweetened beverages. This paper aims to evaluate the associations between dietary habits and various SES indicators (education, occupation, income, and household size) among a representative sample of children in Croatia aged 7–10. Methods: Parents of children were asked to complete a questionnaire that contained indicators of their children’s dietary habits and socioeconomic status (n = 5608). Associations between SES and children’s dietary habits were assessed using logistic regression models. Results: The mother and father’s educational attainment were strongly positively associated with breakfast consumption. Children of parents with a lower educational level consumed sweetened beverages, sweet snacks, and fast food slightly more often than children in families with a higher educational background. The mother’s education was inversely associated with vegetable and cereal consumption, while the father’s education was inversely associated with fruit and bakery product consumption. Meanwhile, household income per unit had a significant influence on the consumption of soft drinks and bakery products. Household size had a significant influence solely on sweet snack consumption. Conclusions: Each SES indicator showed an independent association with at least one particular dietary habit, except for the parent’s employment status.