Associations of Various Family Characteristics and Time Use With Children's Body Mass Index

This study used multiple regression models to estimate associations of various family characteristics and time use with the body mass index (BMI) z-scores of 734 boys and 725 girls aged 5-18y from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement 2003. The strongest relationship in the data was between the BMI of the head of household and a child's BMI z-score (p < 0.001). Time spent sleeping, performing sedentary behaviors, and participating in physical activities was not associated with a child's BMI z-score. This suggests that a family-oriented approach to prevent and treat childhood and adolescent overweight is required.