Sample.‘ The final sample consisted of primary caregivers (593 mothers and 22 gnmdmotliers) of 102 overweight children (cases) and 513 normal weight children (controls) who were 36 to 60 months of age and attending preschool classes in 6 private and 5 public schools in a central Thai province known to have a overweight-to—normal weight ratio of 1:5. Inclusion criteria were primary caregivers (mothers or grandmothers) who resided in the same household as overweight preschoolers (weight-to-height above the median range, +2 standard deviations. according to age and gender specific growth charts for 2 to 7 year old Thais)‘ and normal weight preschoolers (weight-to-height within the median range, : 2 standard deviations, according to age and gender specific growth charts for 2 to 7 year old Thais).‘ Primary caregivers of preschoolers, who suffered from endocrine, metabolic or chronic diseases that may have affected their growth or were underweight (weight-to—height more than 2 st;md;ul deviations below the median range according to age ‘md gender Specific growth charts for 2 to 7 year old 173355)‘ were excluded from the study.