Parental risk factors for infant obesity.
OBJECTIVE
To facilitate an understanding of the influence of parental characteristics on the development of infant obesity.


METHODS
Conducted in collaboration with a NIH-funded study of infant growth, this study employed a longitudinal prospective design.


METHODS
Anthropometric measures were obtained monthly and home visits were conducted five times through 15 months of age. The sample was 630 infants and their families. Information about parental characteristics was obtained from the Demographic and Perinatal Data Questionnaire, developed by the investigators of the NIH study. The modified version of Holmes and Rahe Recent Life Change Questionnaire was used to assess family stress.


RESULTS
Parental characteristics predictive of obesity varied across age, and included the maternal variables of weight, weight gain, age, and smoking. Father's presence in the home, parental education, marital status, and socioeconomic status were not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings in this research contribute insights into parental risk factors for early obesity. Recommendations include eliminating prenatal smoking and controlling prepregnancy weight and pregnancy weight gain.
Sowan
N A
NA
University of Vermont, School of Nursing, Burlington, USA. nsowan@zoo.uvm.edu
Stember
M L
ML
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires