Josefine Magnusson

Parental perceptions regarding healthy behaviours for preventing overweight and obesity in young children: a systematic review of qualitative studies

Evidence is increasingly pointing towards the importance of early life strategies to prevent childhood overweight and obesity. This systematic review synthesizes qualitative research concerning parental perceptions regarding behaviours for preventing overweight and obesity in young children. During May and June 2008, a range of electronic databases were searched and together with lateral searching techniques 21 studies were identified for review. Data extraction and synthesis using thematic content analysis revealed six organizing and 32 finer level themes. These related to child factors, family dynamics, parenting, knowledge and beliefs, extra‐familial influences and resources and environment. Themes were mapped to a socioecological model which illustrated how factors at individual, interpersonal, community, organizational and societal levels interact in complex ways to impact on parental perceptions about healthy behaviours for preventing child overweight. Although parents suggested several ideas to promote healthy child weight‐related behaviours, many of their views concerned perceived barriers, some of which may be amenable to practical intervention. Furthermore, intergenerational influences on parental health beliefs and knowledge suggest that health promotion strategies may be more effective if directed at the wider family, rather than parents alone. Significantly, many parents believed strategies to promote healthy weight should start early in a childs life.

Adolescent multiple risk behaviour: an asset approach to the role of family, school and community

BACKGROUND Engagement in risk behaviours may pose a significant threat to health if involvement spans multiple behaviours. The asset model suggests that contextual aspects of young peoples lives, such as factors related to family, school and community, serve as a protective function against health risk behaviours. METHODS A risk-taking index was created from the English health behaviour in school-aged children study on 15 years olds, substance use and sexual activity. Using a multinomial regression, potential asset variables relating to school, family, peers, community and family affluence were tested for their association with levels of risk behaviours. RESULTS Sense of neighbourhood belonging, strong school belonging and parental involvement in decision-making about leisure time were related to lower engagement in health risk behaviours. A weaker sense of family belonging was associated with increased risk behaviours if connectedness with teachers was also low. Factors related to school and community played a greater role in adolescent participation in health-related risk behaviours than family-related factors, including family affluence. CONCLUSIONS Feelings of safety and belonging in the out-of-home settings of adolescents were positively associated with reduced risk behaviours, and indicate the importance of the wider community alongside parents and school as protective assets for health.

Love and dating patterns for same‐ and both‐gender attracted adolescents across Europe

Sexual orientation is a multidimensional phenomenon, which includes identity, behavior, and attraction. The attraction component, however, is less studied than the other two. In this article, we present the development of a two‐item measure to identify adolescents who prefer same‐ and both‐gender partners for love and dating. The questions were administered to nationally representative samples of 15‐year‐old adolescents in eight European countries and regions participating in the Health Behaviour in School‐aged Children (HBSC) cross‐national study. The distribution of attraction, as operationalized by preference for the gender of love and dating partners, was similar across countries. These questions offer an alternative or supplementary approach to identify same‐ and both‐gender attracted youth, without administering questions related to sexual identity.

The mitigating role of ecological health assets in adolescent cyberbullying victimization

Over the last decade, cyberbullying has emerged as a public health concern among young people. Cyberbullying refers to intentional harmful behaviors and communication carried out repeatedly using electronic media. Considerable research has demonstrated the detrimental and long-lasting effects of cyberbullying involvement. This article draws on a social–ecological perspective to identify protective health assets from across the multiple environmental domains of the adolescent that may mitigate against experiencing cyberbullying. Data were collected from 5,335 students aged 11, 13, and 15 years who participated in the 2014 World Health Organization Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study for England. Protective health assets were identified at the family (family communication), school (school sense of belonging and teacher support), and neighborhood (neighborhood sense of belonging) levels. In particular, the findings draw attention to the protective role fathers can play in supporting young people.