Surveillance of dietary habits and lifestyles among 5-6 year-old children and their families living in Central-North Italy.

Objectives: To study dietary habits and behaviours of a representative sample of 5-6-year-old children and their families.

Methods: A stratified population sample of the general population (5508 children out of 5551 residents) born in 1997 and attending a nursery school was analysed. Weight and height were measured. Information was collected via questionnaire. A "normal" body mass index (BMI) ranged between 13.61-18.09 and 13.31-19.79 kg/m2 for boys and girls respectively.

Results: The response rate was 89%. 79% of the boys had a normal BMI, 0.9% had a low BMI, 18% were overweight, and 1.8% was obese; 87% of the girls had a normal BMI, 2.6% had a low BMI, 10% were overweight, and 0.7% were obese. The main sources of dietary information were professionals of the national health system and mass-media. The main barriers to healthy dietary habits were busy daily activities, working timetable, time needed to cook and tasty and healthy food cost. The main changes in dietary habits occurred in the family habits after a child's birth.

Conclusions: Our findings showed a crucial role played by professionals of the national health system and by mass-media on eating behaviours among children and their parents. Birth of a child is a receptive context to promote healthy habits.