Impact of Carers’ Smoking Status on Childhood Obesity in the Growing up in Ireland Cohort Study
by
Salome Sunday *
and Zubair Kabir
and Zubair Kabir
School of Public Health, University College Cork, T12XF62 Cork, Ireland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(15), 2759; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16152759
Received: 3 May 2019 / Revised: 16 July 2019 / Accepted: 30 July 2019 / Published: 2 August 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Factors, Children’s Health and Safety)
Childhood obesity is a growing concern worldwide. The association between childhood obesity and maternal smoking and/or paternal smoking has been reported. However, few studies have explored the association between childhood obesity and exposure to carers’ smoking status. This study aimed to assess the impact of carers’ smoking status on childhood obesity in a cohort of children enrolled in the Growing up in Ireland (GUI) study. Participants from the GUI infant cohort were categorized into four groups based on their exposure status: Neither caregiver smoked (60.4%), only primary caregiver smoked (13.4%), both caregivers smoked (10.9%). Exposure to primary carers’ smoking (98% are biological mothers) was found to be significantly associated with childhood overweight/obesity at age three (Odds Ratio: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.17–1.46) and at age five (OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.16–1.49). Exposure to both carers’ smoking status was significantly associated with increased odds of childhood overweight/obesity across both waves. These findings emphasize the health burden of childhood obesity that may be attributable to maternal smoking postnatally and through early childhood in Ireland.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Sunday, S.; Kabir, Z. Impact of Carers’ Smoking Status on Childhood Obesity in the Growing up in Ireland Cohort Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 2759.
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