Maternal depression, family food behavior, and child nutritional health

University Of Rhode Island, Kingston RI

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Food insecurity and overweight pose significant risks to the optimal development of low income children. While insufficient consumption of high-quality nutritious food and/or excessive consumption of poor quality foods are the proximal causes of these behaviors, maternal behavior is particularly critical in determining access and availability of the food in a young child's household. Low-income women are at increased risk for depression and the effects of maternal depression on parenting behaviors (i.e., discipline strategies, warmth) are well established. In turn, these same maternal behaviors have been linked to a wide range of child behavioral outcomes. This study expands on this research to examine how maternal depression affects family food behaviors, including food acquisition and consumption strategies, and how these in turn are related to food security status and weight among preschool-aged children. A sample of 150 low-income, ethnically diverse mothers and their preschool age children will be recruited from 5 preschool programs located in poor, urban areas of Rhode Island. This comparative, cross-sectional study will test the following hypotheses: 1) greater maternal depressive symptomatology will correspond to higher child BMIs and more severe child food insecurity;2) more active and involved family food behaviors will be associated with healthier child weight and greater food security;and 3) family food behaviors including acquisition strategies (e.g., borrowing, alternative food sources) and food consumption strategies (e.g., eating with child, watching TV during meals) will mediate the association between maternal depression and child nutritional health. Maternal self-report data will be collected to assess depression, family food behaviors, household and child food security status. Children's height and weight will be collected using standard anthropometric methods. OLS regression and logistical regression models will be utilized to test the direct effects between depression and child nutritional health (e.g., continuous and categorical indicators of weight status and food security status), and between family food behaviors and child nutritional health. The Sobel product of coefficients test will be used to assess whether family food behaviors mediate the pathway between maternal depression and child nutritional health. Results from this study will expand current considerations in the treatment of depression among low-income women to include concerns about food insecurity, nutrition and food behaviors for their children. In addition, the results of this study will provide a greater understanding of the effect of family food behaviors on child nutritional health and lay the groundwork for a more intensive, longitudinal study of competing mechanisms that account for the associations between food insecurity and overweight among low-income populations. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The results of this research will further our understanding of the role that maternal depression may have in the incidence of food insecurity and development of overweight status among low-income children. By identifying the particular behaviors and strategies that depressed mothers use to acquire food and feed their families, we will be able to recommend treatment interventions that address food insecurity, nutrition and food behaviors of young children. In addition, a more in-depth understanding of maternal food acquisition strategies will lay the groundwork for an intensive study of competing mechanisms that account for the associations between food insecurity and overweight among low-income children.