Mediators of maternal depression and family structure on child BMI: parenting quality and risk factors for child overweight.
Risk factors for child obesity may be influenced by family environment, including maternal depression, family structure, and parenting quality. We tested a path model in which maternal depression and single parent status are associated with parenting quality, which relates to three risk factors for child obesity: diet, leisure, and sedentary behavior. Participants included 4,601 5th-grade children and their primary caregivers who participated in the Healthy Passages study. Results showed that associations of maternal depression and single parenthood with child BMI are mediated by parenting quality and its relation to children's leisure activity and sedentary behavior. Interventions for child obesity may be more successful if they target family environment, particularly parenting quality and its impact on children's active and sedentary behaviors.
McConley
Regina L
RL
Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
Mrug
Sylvie
S
Gilliland
M Janice
MJ
Lowry
Richard
R
Elliott
Marc N
MN
Schuster
Mark A
MA
Bogart
Laura M
LM
Franzini
Luisa
L
Escobar-Chaves
Soledad L
SL
Franklin
Frank A
FA
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004032:Diet; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment