Maternal Depression and Child BMI: Longitudinal Findings from a US Sample

Overview

Journal Pediatr Obes

Specialties Endocrinology
Pediatrics

Date 2012 Mar 22

PMID 22434752

Citations 33

Authors

C S Duarte

S Shen

P Wu

A Must

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association between maternal depression and child body mass index (BMI) from Kindergarten (K) to fifth grade.

Methods: Analysis of four waves of data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten spanning K to fifth grade. Maternal depressive symptoms (MDSs) were measured by a brief version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analyses, adjusting for key covariates and potential confounders. The analytic sample was restricted to children of normal birth weight.

Results: The relationship between MDS and child BMI varies by child gender and age. Among girls, severe MDS at K was related to lower BMI at third grade (but not later at fifth grade) and to an increase in BMI from K to third and K to fifth grades. Among boys, severe MDS at K was related to higher boys' BMI at fifth grade. When severe MDS occurred at third grade, it was related to higher BMI at fifth grade among girls whereas no statistically significant relationship was found for boys. Low levels of physical activity in comparison to peers at fifth grade and more screen time on weekends at third grade are likely mediators of the relationship between MDS and child BMI among girls, while among boys the relationship appears to be mediated by unhealthy eating habits.

Conclusions: Our findings, indicating developmental and gender differences in the relationship between maternal depression and child BMI, if confirmed, suggest that interventions addressing maternal depression may have concomitant impact on childhood obesity.

Citing Articles

Testing a Biobehavioral Model of Chronic Stress and Weight Gain in Young Children (Family Stress Study): Protocol and Baseline Demographics for a Prospective Observational Study.

Pare S, Gunn E, Morrison K, Miller A, Duncan A, Buchholz A JMIR Res Protoc. 2024; 13:e48549.

PMID: 38900565 PMC: 11224706. DOI: 10.2196/48549.

Psychosocial Adjustment as a Mediator in the Relationship between Childhood Exposure to Maternal Depression and Subsequent BMI and Overweight Risk.

Niu L, Hanson S, Preciado-Becerra J, Eskandarani A, Lei X, Le M Children (Basel). 2024; 11(4).

PMID: 38671658 PMC: 11049188. DOI: 10.3390/children11040441.

Prospective Associations between Maternal Depressive Symptoms during Early Infancy and Growth Deficiency from Childhood to Adolescence.

S Pagani L, Harandian K, Necsa B, Harbec M Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(23).

PMID: 38063547 PMC: 10706675. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20237117.

Factors Predictive of Being Bullies or Victims of Bullies in US Elementary Schools.

Morgan P, Farkas G, Woods A, Wang Y, Hillemeier M, Oh Y School Ment Health. 2023; 15(2):566-582.

PMID: 37408592 PMC: 10322117. DOI: 10.1007/s12310-023-09571-4.

Associations Among Food Delay of Gratification, Cognitive Measures, and Environment in a Community Preschool Sample.

Giuliani N, Kelly N Front Nutr. 2022; 9:788583.

PMID: 35479757 PMC: 9036103. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.788583.

References

Paulson J, Dauber S, Leiferman J . Individual and combined effects of postpartum depression in mothers and fathers on parenting behavior. Pediatrics. 2006; 118(2):659-68. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2005-2948. View

Farrow C, Blissett J . Maternal cognitions, psychopathologic symptoms, and infant temperament as predictors of early infant feeding problems: a longitudinal study. Int J Eat Disord. 2005; 39(2):128-34. DOI: 10.1002/eat.20220. View

Ong K . Size at birth, postnatal growth and risk of obesity. Horm Res. 2006; 65 Suppl 3:65-9. DOI: 10.1159/000091508. View

Patel V, Rahman A, Jacob K, Hughes M . Effect of maternal mental health on infant growth in low income countries: new evidence from South Asia. BMJ. 2004; 328(7443):820-3. PMC: 383383. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.328.7443.820. View

Baron R, Kenny D . The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1986; 51(6):1173-82. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.51.6.1173. View

Andersson L, Sundstrom-Poromaa I, Wulff M, Astrom M, Bixo M . Neonatal outcome following maternal antenatal depression and anxiety: a population-based study. Am J Epidemiol. 2004; 159(9):872-81. DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwh122. View

Lumeng J, Appugliese D, Cabral H, Bradley R, Zuckerman B . Neighborhood safety and overweight status in children. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006; 160(1):25-31. DOI: 10.1001/archpedi.160.1.25. View

Stewart R, Umar E, Kauye F, Bunn J, Vokhiwa M, Fitzgerald M . Maternal common mental disorder and infant growth--a cross-sectional study from Malawi. Matern Child Nutr. 2008; 4(3):209-19. PMC: 6860868. DOI: 10.1111/j.1740-8709.2008.00147.x. View

Anderson S, Cohen P, Naumova E, Must A . Association of depression and anxiety disorders with weight change in a prospective community-based study of children followed up into adulthood. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006; 160(3):285-91. DOI: 10.1001/archpedi.160.3.285. View

10.

Ross C, Mirowsky J, Huber J . Dividing work, sharing work, and in-between: marriage patterns and depression. Am Sociol Rev. 1983; 48(6):809-23. View

11.

Miranda J, Chung J, Green B, Krupnick J, Siddique J, Revicki D . Treating depression in predominantly low-income young minority women: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2003; 290(1):57-65. DOI: 10.1001/jama.290.1.57. View

12.

Davis M, Young L, Davis S, Moll G . Parental depression, family functioning and obesity among African American children. J Cult Divers. 2008; 15(2):61-5. View

13.

Duarte C, Sourander A, Nikolakaros G, Pihlajamaki H, Helenius H, Piha J . Child mental health problems and obesity in early adulthood. J Pediatr. 2009; 156(1):93-7. PMC: 3586427. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.06.066. View

14.

Galloway T . Gender differences in growth and nutrition in a sample of rural Ontario schoolchildren. Am J Hum Biol. 2007; 19(6):774-88. DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.20637. View

15.

Dietz L, Birmaher B, Williamson D, Silk J, Dahl R, Axelson D . Mother-child interactions in depressed children and children at high risk and low risk for future depression. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2008; 47(5):574-582. PMC: 3560967. DOI: 10.1097/CHI.0b013e3181676595. View

16.

Ertel K, Koenen K, Rich-Edwards J, Gillman M . Antenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms are differentially associated with early childhood weight and adiposity. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2010; 24(2):179-89. PMC: 4106300. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3016.2010.01098.x. View

17.

Kuczmarski R, Ogden C, Guo S, Grummer-Strawn L, Flegal K, Mei Z . 2000 CDC Growth Charts for the United States: methods and development. Vital Health Stat 11. 2002; (246):1-190. View

18.

Topham G, Page M, Hubbs-Tait L, Rutledge J, Kennedy T, Shriver L . Maternal depression and socio-economic status moderate the parenting style/child obesity association. Public Health Nutr. 2009; 13(8):1237-44. DOI: 10.1017/S1368980009992163. View

19.

Ong K, Ahmed M, Emmett P, Preece M, Dunger D . Association between postnatal catch-up growth and obesity in childhood: prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2001; 320(7240):967-71. PMC: 27335. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.320.7240.967. View

20.

Elfhag K, Linne Y . Gender differences in associations of eating pathology between mothers and their adolescent offspring. Obes Res. 2005; 13(6):1070-6. DOI: 10.1038/oby.2005.125. View