Association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan: An analysis of nationally representative survey data

Background: Few studies have investigated the association between nativity or nationality and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan using nationally representative survey d...

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Main Authors: Tasuku Okui, Naoki Nakashima
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213398425001319
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author Tasuku Okui
Naoki Nakashima
author_facet Tasuku Okui
Naoki Nakashima
author_sort Tasuku Okui
collection DOAJ
description Background: Few studies have investigated the association between nativity or nationality and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan using nationally representative survey data. Methods: Data from the Longitudinal Survey of Newborns in the 21st Century (2010 Cohort) in Japan, which longitudinally monitored height and weight of children from 2.5 years to 12 years, were used. Parental nationalities were categorized as Japanese and non-Japanese. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was calculated according to combinations of parental nationalities for each age. In addition, the generalized estimating equation was used to investigate the association between parental nationalities and overweight/obesity, and the sociodemographic characteristics of children were adjusted. Results: The analysis utilized data on 37,190 children. Results showed that the proportions of overweight/obesity in children born to non-Japanese mother and Japanese father and those whose parents were both non-Japanese were higher than the proportion in children whose parents were both Japanese regardless of age, and the proportion in children whose parents were both non-Japanese was the highest in many cases. The generalized estimating equation analysis showed that children born to non-Japanese mother had a significantly higher risk for overweight/obesity than those born to Japanese mother. Conclusions: In conclusion, the risk of childhood overweight/obesity differed based on maternal nationality in Japan. The study highlights the need for investigating health-related behaviors and statuses of non-Japanese children more in Japan in the future.
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spelling doaj-art-c16144bfd829499d85f7347a702cf5fe2025-08-20T03:53:42ZengElsevierClinical Epidemiology and Global Health2213-39842025-05-013310204210.1016/j.cegh.2025.102042Association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan: An analysis of nationally representative survey dataTasuku Okui0Naoki Nakashima1Corresponding author. 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, 812-8582, Japan.; Medical Information Center, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka City, JapanMedical Information Center, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka City, JapanBackground: Few studies have investigated the association between nativity or nationality and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan using nationally representative survey data. Methods: Data from the Longitudinal Survey of Newborns in the 21st Century (2010 Cohort) in Japan, which longitudinally monitored height and weight of children from 2.5 years to 12 years, were used. Parental nationalities were categorized as Japanese and non-Japanese. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was calculated according to combinations of parental nationalities for each age. In addition, the generalized estimating equation was used to investigate the association between parental nationalities and overweight/obesity, and the sociodemographic characteristics of children were adjusted. Results: The analysis utilized data on 37,190 children. Results showed that the proportions of overweight/obesity in children born to non-Japanese mother and Japanese father and those whose parents were both non-Japanese were higher than the proportion in children whose parents were both Japanese regardless of age, and the proportion in children whose parents were both non-Japanese was the highest in many cases. The generalized estimating equation analysis showed that children born to non-Japanese mother had a significantly higher risk for overweight/obesity than those born to Japanese mother. Conclusions: In conclusion, the risk of childhood overweight/obesity differed based on maternal nationality in Japan. The study highlights the need for investigating health-related behaviors and statuses of non-Japanese children more in Japan in the future.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213398425001319JapanOverweightChildrenNationality
spellingShingle Tasuku Okui
Naoki Nakashima
Association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan: An analysis of nationally representative survey data
Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health
Japan
Overweight
Children
Nationality
title Association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan: An analysis of nationally representative survey data
title_full Association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan: An analysis of nationally representative survey data
title_fullStr Association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan: An analysis of nationally representative survey data
title_full_unstemmed Association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan: An analysis of nationally representative survey data
title_short Association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight/obesity in Japan: An analysis of nationally representative survey data
title_sort association between parental nationalities and childhood overweight obesity in japan an analysis of nationally representative survey data
topic Japan
Overweight
Children
Nationality
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213398425001319
work_keys_str_mv AT tasukuokui associationbetweenparentalnationalitiesandchildhoodoverweightobesityinjapanananalysisofnationallyrepresentativesurveydata
AT naokinakashima associationbetweenparentalnationalitiesandchildhoodoverweightobesityinjapanananalysisofnationallyrepresentativesurveydata