The relationship between children's flourishing and being overweight

Abstract

This study examined the effect of children's flourishing on the pandemic of obesity from various aspects such as age, gender, race, family, school, and community. By using a subsample of the 2011-2012 Nation-al Survey of Children's Health, the Flourishing scale analyses were per-formed with a total of 45,309 children. Childhood obesity was diagnosed by calculating the percentile of the body mass index. Hispanic Ameri-cans were more likely to be overweight (P < 0.01). Nonoverweight chil-dren were more likely to participate in after-school activities, less likely to have sedentary behavior, more likely to miss school, to be more ac-tive, and had more of flourishing than their counterpart (P < 0.01). Par-ent's marital and health status also positively affect children's obesity status (P < 0.01). Social capital and neighbor amenities significantly af-fect children's weight status (P < 0.01). A multifaceted understanding of the role of family, school, and community (with proving children's flour-ishing environment) in terms of how and what could contribute to chil-dren's obesity status is important in order to bring about positive impact.