Feeding the fAmiLy: the Intergenerational approaCh to fIght obesiTY (FACILITY)

FACILITY (Feeding the fAmiLy: the Intergenerational approaCh to fIght obesiTY)

The FACILITY STUDY is aimed at evaluating maternal and children social, cultural, economic and lifestyle-related risk factors for the development of childhood overweight, obesity and early adiposity rebound (EAR). This study consists of two phases: a cross-sectional phase and a retrospective case-control study.

The FACILITY cross-sectional study is conducted in the Buzzi Children's Hospital in Milan on children and adolescents (2-18 years old) and their mothers (≥ 18 years old). The estimated duration is 24 months.

The primary objective of the FACILITY cross-sectional is the assessment of the nutritional and socioeconomic status of mother-child dyads attending a pediatric outpatient clinic in the city of Milan, Italy (mapping). Therefore, the primary endpoint is to define the overweight and obesity prevalence in multiethnic mother-child dyads attending a pediatric outpatient clinic in the city of Milan, Italy.

The secondary objectives are: 1) Assessment of lifestyle factors and their impact on the health status of the target population. 2) Assessment of socioeconomic and cultural factors and their impact on the health status of the target population. Thus, the secondary endpoints are: 1) Impact of lifestyle on overweight and obesity in children/adolescents. 2) Impact of socio-economic-cultural factors on overweight and obesity in children/adolescents.

To mother-child dyads coming to the outpatient facilities (of the Department of Pediatrics, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan) and eligible in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be proposed to participate in the study and will be given the informative material. For children and adolescents, the informed consent will be read and signed by the parents, who are the legal guardians.

On eligible subject different variables will be measured.

For mothers - Regarding lifestyle and health factors, dietary patterns will be evaluated through the Mediterranean diet (MEDI-LITE) questionnaire and through a structured interview; physical activity will be evaluated with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ); sleep quality will be investigated with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire; smoking habits and alcohol consumption will be evaluated through a structured interview and anthropometric variables will include weight, height and waist circumference.

Variables referred to socio-economic and cultural factors include family relationships that will be assessed through the Child-Parent Relationship Scale - Short Form (CPRS-SF) questionnaire; the personal social capital will be investigated through the Personal Social Capital Scale (PSCS-8) questionnaire; the socio-economic status (SES) will be derived from demographic data; the neighborhood food environment characteristics, as well as the local built and social environment characteristics, will be evaluated through mapping and spatial analysis; social participation will be explored through structured interviews.

For children/adolescents - Dietary patterns will be evaluated through the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents (KIDMED) questionnaire; physical activity will be evaluated with a structured interview for children aged 2-14 years old or with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (IPAQ-A) for children aged 15-17 years old. Similarly, structured interviews will be conducted to assess sedentary screen time and sleep quality; smoking habits and alcohol consumption will be evaluated in adolescents (children aged 12-18 years old) through a structured interview and binge eating symptoms (i.e., sneaking, hiding, or hoarding food, eating in the absence of hunger) will be investigated with a structured interview. Anthropometric variables will include weight, height, adiposity rebound and waist circumference.

Inclusion Criteria for mothers:

• Age ≥ 18 years old;
• Admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy;
• Written and signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria for mothers:

• Mother had not written and signed informed consent;
• Inability to understand the Italian and English language.

Inclusion Criteria for children:

• Age > 2 years and < 18 years old;
• Admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy;
• Mother and father/legal guardian had written and signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria for children:

• Endocrine disorders (hypothyroidism, hypercortisolism, growth hormone deficiency);
• Central nervous system damage (hypothalamic-pituitary damage because of surgery or trauma);
• Genetic diseases either monogenic (leptin deficiency, MC4R mutation) or pleiotropic genetic syndromes (Prader-Willi, Bardet-Biedl);
• Mother and father/legal guardian had not written and signed informed consent.