Relationship Between Parents’ and Indigenous Children’s Food Habits and Physical Activity

  • Digsha Augundhooa Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2223-4341
  • Madihah Muhammad Royani Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
  • Baskaran Gunasekaran Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, Taman Connaught, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Lailatul Muniroh Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0130-7031
  • Vaidehi Ulaganathan Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1835-091X

Abstract

Background: The surrounding domestic environment influences the indigenous children’s nutrition behaviour. This study examines the relationship between parental nutrition behaviour and children’s food habits and physical activities. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 146 indigenous parents and children from indigenous primary schools in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. A pre-tested and self-administered questionnaire was utilized to assess the food habits and physical activities among targeted parents and children. Results: Parental healthy nutrition behaviour, including the parents’ vegetables and fruits consumption were positively and significantly correlated with the children’s healthy food habits, vegetables and fruits consumption, as well as the children’s physical activities after adjusted for selected socio-demographic variables. Besides, parental physical activity was positively correlated with the children’s physical activities (r = 0.139, p = 0.044). Conclusion: The promotion of the parents’ fruits and vegetable consumption, and physical activity enhances the children’s healthy food habits and physical activities.

Keywords: Food Habits, Fruits and Vegetables, Nutrition Behaviour, Physical Activity

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References

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Augundhooa, D., Royani, M., Gunasekaran, B., Muniroh, L. and Ulaganathan, V. (2026) “Relationship Between Parents’ and Indigenous Children’s Food Habits and Physical Activity”, International Journal of Advancement in Life Sciences Research, 9(2), pp. 30-41. doi: https://doi.org/10.31632/ijalsr.2026.v09i02.003.