Table 1. Parents’ (n= 3,378) Perceptions About Their Child’s Weight and Diet and Reported Dietary and Physical Activity Practices, 2008 Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study.
| Survey Questions and Answers (Number Surveyed) | Infants
0–5.9 Monthsa
|
Infants
6–11.9 Monthsa
|
Toddlers (12–23.9 Months)a |
2-Year-Olds (24–35.9 Months)a |
3-Year-Olds (36–47.9 Months)a |
All Preschoolers (24–47.9 Months)a
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % (SE) | % (SE) | % (SE) | % (SE) | % (SE) | % (SE) | |
| Do you consider your [child] now to be — (n = 3,378) | ||||||
| Overweight? | 2.0 (0.75) | 1.7 (0.56) | 2.3 (0.65) | 2.0 (0.87) | 2.5 (0.67) | 2.2 (0.55) |
| Underweight? | 1.5 (0.65) | 4.4 (1.24) | 8.1 (1.32) | 8.9 (1.71) | 8.3 (1.42) | 8.6 (1.11) |
| About the right weight? | 96.5 (0.98) | 93.9 (1.36) | 89.6 (1.45) | 89.1 (1.90) | 89.2 (1.56) | 89.1 (1.23) |
| Do you consider [child’s] diet to be: (n = 3,377) | ||||||
| Very healthy? | 96.9 (1.08) | 80.1 (3.26) | 57.7 (2.54) | 42.6 (3.19) | 33.9 (2.98) | 38.3 (2.19) |
| Somewhat healthy? | 3.1 (1.08) | 19.8 (3.26) | 41.7 (2.53) | 55.5 (3.18) | 63.0 (3.00) | 59.2 (2.19) |
| Not too/not at all healthy? | 0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.15) | 0.6 (0.43) | 1.9 (0.74) | 3.1 (0.95) | 2.5 (0.60) |
| Do you think your child gets enough fruit and vegetables in diet? (n=3,372) | ||||||
| Yes | 35.2 (3.96) | 82.8 (2.62) | 84.0 (1.87) | 76.8 (2.58) | 72.0 (2.75) | 74.4 (1.89) |
| No | 4.3 (1.22) | 7.8 (2.20) | 16.0 (1.87) | 22.7 (2.55) | 27.5 (2.75) | 25.1 (1.88) |
| Doesn’t eat fruits or vegetables | 60.5 (4.01) | 9.4 (1.54) | 0 (0.00) | 0.5 (0.51) | 0.5 (0.29) | 0.5 (0.29) |
| How many nights a week does your family typically sit down together to have dinner as a family? (n=3,376) | ||||||
| Every night | 49.8 (4.10) | 45.4 (3.75) | 50.0 (2.67) | 49.3 (3.21) | 49.4 (3.02) | 49.4 (2.20) |
| 5 or 6 nights | 24.1 (3.09) | 23.3 (2.51) | 22.7 (2.15) | 23.5 (2.34) | 24.4 (2.28) | 23.9 (1.60) |
| 3 or 4 nights | 14.9 (2.78) | 18.1 (2.93) | 18.3 (2.01) | 16.2 (2.61) | 17.2 (2.29) | 16.7 (1.74) |
| 1 or 2 nights | 7.0 (1.52) | 9.1 (2.10) | 5.7 (1.15) | 7.3 (1.79) | 7.0 (1.99) | 7.2 (1.34) |
| Never | 4.1 (2.22) | 4.1 (1.05) | 3.2 (0.80) | 3.7 (1.67) | 2.0 (0.95) | 2.9 (0.96) |
| About how often does [child] eat food from a fast food restaurant? (n=3,376) | ||||||
| Never eats fast food | 99.9 (0.07) | 83.5 (2.74) | 25.5 (2.21) | 6.8 (1.23) | 5.1 (1.10) | 6.0 (0.83) |
| Less than once per month | 0.0 (0.00) | 0.8 (0.49) | 6.9 (1.20) | 6.1 (1.74) | 3.9 (1.31) | 5.1 (1.10) |
| 1-3 times a month | 0.1 (0.07) | 8.8 (2.24) | 31.3 (2.50) | 36.2 (3.09) | 31.8 (2.64) | 34.0 (2.04) |
| Once a week | 0.0 (0.00) | 5.2 (1.92) | 24.5 (2.37) | 31.1 (2.79) | 34.0 (3.04) | 32.5 (2.07) |
| Twice a week | 0.0 (0.00) | 1.7 (0.77) | 8.6 (1.34) | 9.7 (1.51) | 17.8 (2.39) | 13.7 (1.43) |
| Three or more times per weekb | 0.0 (0.00) | 0.0 (0.00) | 3.2 (0.94) | 10.1 (2.60) | 7.3 (1.63) | 8.7 (1.55) |
| Is your child involved in gymnastics, dance, swimming, or some other type of athletic activity or organized sport? (n = 3,250) | —c | —c | 15.3 (2.24) | 24.4 (2.65) | 38.3 (3.01) | 32.1 (2.07) |
| If yes to question above, how many times per week does child participate in these activities? (n = 562)d | ||||||
| Less than once per week | —c | —c | 1.1 (0.67) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Once a week | —c | —c | 35.8 (8.27) | 48.7 (6.56) | 50.8 (4.85) | 50.0 (3.90) |
| Twice a week | —c | —c | 31.2 (8.43) | 23.7 (6.19) | 20.6 (3.82) | 21.6 (3.30) |
| Three times a week | —c | —c | 13.5 (5.67) | 11.1 (2.99) | 15.5 (4.68) | 14.0 (3.28) |
| Four or more times a week | —c | —c | 18.4 (4.53) | 16.5 (4.01) | 13.2 (2.80) | 14.3 (2.30) |
| Child plays outside (n = 3,250) | —c | —c | 95.0 (1.19) | 98.4 (0.84) | 98.9 (0.46) | 98.6 (0.45) |
| Plays outside for 1 h or more per day (n = 3,250) | —c | —c | 56.2 (2.69) | 68.1 (3.01) | 72.6 (2.99) | 70.6 (2.12) |
| Child plays video or computer games (n = 3,250) | —c | —c | 4.5 (1.07) | 12.0 (2.23) | 36.3 (3.08) | 25.5 (2.04) |
| Child watches TV, videos, or DVDs (n = 3,250) | —c | —c | 74.3 (2.37) | 94.8 (1.55) | 97.6 (0.69) | 96.4 (0.79) |
| Child watches TV or videos in the room where he/she sleeps (n = 2,067)e | —c | —c | 14.9 (2.24) | 16.7 (2.39) | 24.8 (2.87) | 21.3 (1.94) |
Abbreviation: —, does not apply; SE, standard error.
a
Based on age at recruitment. Totals may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
b
Maximum response was 7 times per week.
c
Does not apply. These questions were asked only of parents and caregivers of children aged 12–47.9 months and not parents of infants.
d
Excludes children whose parents reported that they did not engage in any activities listed in the activities question.
e
Excludes children whose parents said their children did not watch television, videos, or DVDs; percentages are of children who watch in their bedroom among those who watch any television, videos, or DVDs.