Kids' Eating Habits: A Tale of Two Environments

In the beautiful province of British Columbia, there's a special program called the Generation Health Clinic. This program focuses on helping kids and teens manage their weight. From 2015 to 2019, researchers kept track of the eating habits, physical activities, and sleep patterns of the kids in the program. They divided the data based on the kids' ages (12 and younger were children, 13 and older were adolescents) and where they lived (less urban areas versus urban areas). One interesting finding was that kids living in cities had different eating habits compared to those living in less urban areas. City kids often ate more family meals together every day. This could be due to the different lifestyles and resources available in urban and less urban areas. The study also collected information on physical activities and sleep patterns. These factors play a significant role in overall health and weight management. By understanding these patterns, the program can tailor its approach to better support kids and teens in managing their weight.