Background
Children of obese parents are more likely to be obese themselves. Parental lifestyle habits could induce or aggravate children's obesity. This study was conducted to assess the relationship between parental lifestyle habits and children's overweight. Methods: Children who were enrolled in this study were first grade students from elementary schools in Gwacheon and Seoul. A total of 121 children (50 overweight children and 71 normal weight children) and their parents underwent anthropometric measurements and also were surveyed by a questionnaire. Results: The children of obese parents were more likely to be diagnosed as overweight compared to the children whose parents were normal weight (Father: P=0.037, Mother: P=0.001). Among the paternal lifestyle habits, hours of watching TV or computer usage (adjusted odd ratio =2.08, 95% CI=0.90∼4.80) and eating frequency of soda, ice cream, cake and chips (adjusted OR=5.77, 95% CI=1.65∼20.22) were found to be related to their children being overweight. Among the maternal lifestyle habits, hours of watching TV or computer usage (adjusted OR=2.35, 95% CI=0.99∼5.58), the frequency of eating breakfast (adjusted OR: 2.48, 95% CI=1.07∼5.75) and the frequency of overeating (adjusted OR: 2.15, 95% CI=0.91∼5.11) were found to be related to their children being overweight. Additive adjustment of children's lifestyle habits made the relationship between maternal lifestyle habits and children's overweight reduced. However, the odds ratio of paternal lifestyle habits was not reduced. Conclusion: Parental obesigenic lifestyle habits were related to children's overweight. Maternal lifestyle habits could affect her children's weight via an effect on her children's lifestyle habits. (J Korean Acad Fam Med 2008; 29:395-404)

Background
Despite growing knowledge of the importance of the management of diet and physical activity in the prevention of obesity in adolescence, a better understanding of social psychological influences could assist efforts in family, school and community settings. Methods: Among the 3,653 adolescents who were randomly selected from seven separate school districts in Busan, 2,938 (83.9%) completed the questionnaire. The students who agreed to participate in this study were given a questionnaire which included social support as the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale, self-efficacy as the physical self-efficacy questionnaire, self-concept as the Song and Hattie Test, physical activity as a Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire and eating habits as the Harris questionnaire. Results: The support from parents, teachers, classmates, close friends and other people in the community predicted the level of adolescents' self-concept and physical activity, while only the support from teachers and other people in the community predicted adolescents' dietary self-efficacy. Adolescents' self-concept and physical activity self-efficacy significantly predicted the level of physical activity. Self-concept and dietary self-efficacy also predicted healthier eating habits. Only the support from close friends predicted adolescents' healthy eating habits. The support from parents, teachers, close friends, classmates and other people in the community predicted the level of physical activity through increasing the level of self- concept or physical activity self-concept. Conclusion: Although adolescents' behavior are ultimately individualized, they are formed through cognitive processes which are affected by social support. These social levels, therefore, should be supportive of adolescents' physical activity and healthier eating habits by providing frequent support and encouragement to establish positive self-concept and self-efficacy.