How does parents’ social support impact children’s health practice? Examining a mediating role of health knowledge

Background: Family environmental factors play a vital role in shaping children’s health practices (e.g., obesity prevention). It is still unclear how parents’ social support affects children’s obesity-related health practices. The present study argues that whether parents’ social support positively...

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Main Authors: STRAUGHAN, Paulin Tay, XU, Chengwei
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Language:English
Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2023
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Online Access:https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3753
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/5011/viewcontent/How_does_parents__social_support_impact_children_s_health_practice.pdf
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spelling sg-smu-ink.soss_research-50112023-07-25T02:01:41Z How does parents’ social support impact children’s health practice? Examining a mediating role of health knowledge STRAUGHAN, Paulin Tay XU, Chengwei Background: Family environmental factors play a vital role in shaping children’s health practices (e.g., obesity prevention). It is still unclear how parents’ social support affects children’s obesity-related health practices. The present study argues that whether parents’ social support positively associates with children’s obesity-related health practice depends on if it could promote parents’ obesity-related health knowledge. Thus, we hypothesize that health knowledge mediates the relationship between parents’ social support and children’s health practice regarding weight management. Methods: To test the hypothesis, we conducted a questionnaire survey and collected a nationally representative sample of 1488 household responses in Singapore. The survey included questions about parents’ social support, health knowledge, children’s health practices, and socio-demographic variables. All participants have at least one child 14 years old or younger. In the sample, 66.1% of the respondents are female, and 93.7% are below 50 years old. Structural equation modeling (SEM) via Stata was used to examine the associations between parents’ social support, health knowledge, and children’s health practice. Results: The results of our analysis support our hypothesis. Specifically, (1) parents’ social support shows a positive relationship with health knowledge (Coef. = 0.17, p < 0.001 for BMI knowledge and Coef. = 0.18, p < 0.001 for nutrition knowledge); (2) parents’ social support (total effect of social support = 0.081, p = 0.071) and health knowledge positively associate with children’s obesity-related health practice (coefficient of BMI knowledge = 0.10, p < 0.01; coefficient of nutrition knowledge = 0.31, p < 0.001); and (3) the effects of parents’ social support on children’s health practice is fully mediated by parents’ health knowledge (mediating effect = 100%, p = 0.007). Conclusion: The present study provides fresh evidence from a multicultural context to understand the relationships between parents’ social support, health knowledge, and children’s obesity-related health practice. Our findings support the argument that social support from parents’ social networks does not necessarily promote health outcomes. The only social support that carries proper health knowledge can facilitate good health practice. 2023-12-01T08:00:00Z text application/pdf https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3753 info:doi/10.1186/s41256-023-00291-5 https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/5011/viewcontent/How_does_parents__social_support_impact_children_s_health_practice.pdf http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Research Collection School of Social Sciences eng Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University Childhood obesity Health knowledge Health practice Social support Social determinants Weight management Family, Life Course, and Society Health Communication Medicine and Health Social Psychology and Interaction
institution Singapore Management University
building SMU Libraries
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider SMU Libraries
collection InK@SMU
language English
topic Childhood obesity
Health knowledge
Health practice
Social support
Social determinants
Weight management
Family, Life Course, and Society
Health Communication
Medicine and Health
Social Psychology and Interaction
spellingShingle Childhood obesity
Health knowledge
Health practice
Social support
Social determinants
Weight management
Family, Life Course, and Society
Health Communication
Medicine and Health
Social Psychology and Interaction
STRAUGHAN, Paulin Tay
XU, Chengwei
How does parents’ social support impact children’s health practice? Examining a mediating role of health knowledge
description Background: Family environmental factors play a vital role in shaping children’s health practices (e.g., obesity prevention). It is still unclear how parents’ social support affects children’s obesity-related health practices. The present study argues that whether parents’ social support positively associates with children’s obesity-related health practice depends on if it could promote parents’ obesity-related health knowledge. Thus, we hypothesize that health knowledge mediates the relationship between parents’ social support and children’s health practice regarding weight management. Methods: To test the hypothesis, we conducted a questionnaire survey and collected a nationally representative sample of 1488 household responses in Singapore. The survey included questions about parents’ social support, health knowledge, children’s health practices, and socio-demographic variables. All participants have at least one child 14 years old or younger. In the sample, 66.1% of the respondents are female, and 93.7% are below 50 years old. Structural equation modeling (SEM) via Stata was used to examine the associations between parents’ social support, health knowledge, and children’s health practice. Results: The results of our analysis support our hypothesis. Specifically, (1) parents’ social support shows a positive relationship with health knowledge (Coef. = 0.17, p < 0.001 for BMI knowledge and Coef. = 0.18, p < 0.001 for nutrition knowledge); (2) parents’ social support (total effect of social support = 0.081, p = 0.071) and health knowledge positively associate with children’s obesity-related health practice (coefficient of BMI knowledge = 0.10, p < 0.01; coefficient of nutrition knowledge = 0.31, p < 0.001); and (3) the effects of parents’ social support on children’s health practice is fully mediated by parents’ health knowledge (mediating effect = 100%, p = 0.007). Conclusion: The present study provides fresh evidence from a multicultural context to understand the relationships between parents’ social support, health knowledge, and children’s obesity-related health practice. Our findings support the argument that social support from parents’ social networks does not necessarily promote health outcomes. The only social support that carries proper health knowledge can facilitate good health practice.
format text
author STRAUGHAN, Paulin Tay
XU, Chengwei
author_facet STRAUGHAN, Paulin Tay
XU, Chengwei
author_sort STRAUGHAN, Paulin Tay
title How does parents’ social support impact children’s health practice? Examining a mediating role of health knowledge
title_short How does parents’ social support impact children’s health practice? Examining a mediating role of health knowledge
title_full How does parents’ social support impact children’s health practice? Examining a mediating role of health knowledge
title_fullStr How does parents’ social support impact children’s health practice? Examining a mediating role of health knowledge
title_full_unstemmed How does parents’ social support impact children’s health practice? Examining a mediating role of health knowledge
title_sort how does parents’ social support impact children’s health practice? examining a mediating role of health knowledge
publisher Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University
publishDate 2023
url https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3753
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/5011/viewcontent/How_does_parents__social_support_impact_children_s_health_practice.pdf
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