Table 2 Participant sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics (N = 466)

Continuous variables

Mean ± SD

Min—Max

 Mothers’ age (y)

31.53 ± 4.75

19—43

 Children’s age (mo)

11 ± 3.5

4—18

Nominal variables

N

Proportion %

 Children’s gender

  Boys / girls

221 / 241

47.8 / 52.2

 Ethnic background

  White

453

97.2

  Black/Black British

1

0.2

  Asian/Asian British

5

1.1

  Mixed/other ethnic background

7

1.5

 Location of residence

  England

322

70.2

  Northern Ireland

71

15.5

  Wales

37

8.1

  Scotland

29

6.3

 Marital status

  Single

24

5.2

  Cohabiting

138

29.7

  Married

299

64.3

  Separated

4

0.9

 Educational attainment

  Primary school

2

0.4

  GCSE’s

26

5.6

  A’ levels

85

18.2

  Undergraduate

203

43.6

  Postgraduate

150

32.2

 Household income (£)

  < 10 k

16

3.5

  10—20 k

32

7.1

  20—30 k

61

13.5

  30—40 k

85

18.8

  40—60 k

257

57

 Total number of children

  1 / 2 / 3 / 4 or more

326 / 112 / 22 / 6

70/ 24 / 4.7 / 1.3

 Mothers’ BMI (kg/cm²)

  Underweight

8

2

  Normal weight

189

47

  Overweight

119

29.6

  Obese

51

12.7

  Obese II

23

5.7

  Obese III

12

3

 Children’s weight status

  Underweight

14

3.5

  Normal weight

288

61.8

  Overweight

54

11.6

  Obese

39