DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-082-5-0088

Family Background and Socioeconomic Factors as Determinants of Children's Eating Habits: Insights from the Child Health 2024 Study

Dana Hübelová ORCID...¹, Beatrice-Elena Chromková Manea ORCID...¹, Jana Kratěnová ORCID...², Kristýna Žejglicová ORCID...²

¹ Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies, třída Generála Píky 7, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic

² National Institute of Public Health, Šrobárova 49, 100 00 Praha, Czech Republic

Family environment plays a crucial role in shaping children's eating habits, both through parental attitudes and the socioeconomic conditions of the household. A study conducted in Brno in 2024 surveyed parents (N = 228) during preventive paediatric check-ups using a structured questionnaire. The analysis revealed that more than half of the children consume sweet or salty snacks on a daily or near-daily basis, while only a minority of families effectively limit such behaviour. Nevertheless, most children regularly drink water, and more than two-thirds eat breakfast every day. Food selectivity proved to be a widespread phenomenon, with almost 80% of children showing some degree of picky eating. Shared family meals also emerged as an important factor: while the majority of families eat together on weekends, fewer than half manage to do so during weekdays. A composite Healthy Eating Index confirmed that higher parental education levels and an active interest in healthy nutrition are associated with more favourable dietary behaviours in children. The findings emphasize that effective prevention of unhealthy eating patterns requires a close interplay between family and school settings, combining parental guidance with educational strategies and improvements in school catering environments.

Klíčová slova: Eating Habits, Socioeconomic Factors, Child Health 2024/25 Study

stránky: 88-93, online: 2026