title: Sugar, stress, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: early childhood obesity risks among a clinic-based sample of low-income Hispanics.
abstract: The nationwide epidemic of pediatric obesity is more prevalent among Hispanic children than white children. Recent literature suggests that obesity has early origins, leading scholars to call for interventions in pregnancy and infancy. However, there is little theoretical or empirical research to guide the development of early prevention programs for Hispanics. The present study seeks to identify risk factors for early childhood obesity among a low-income, predominately Hispanic sample. Data were gathered to inform the design of a primary care childhood obesity prevention program targeting pregnancy through age 12 months. Baseline data were gathered on 153 women attending the clinic for prenatal care or for their child's 2, 6 or 12 month well-check. All women completed surveys on diet, exercise, social support, food security, stress, infant feeding practices, health, and demographics. For women with children (n = 66), survey data were matched with medical records data on infant weight. Results reveal that 55 % of women in the sample had an infant profiling in the 85th percentile or higher, confirming the need for an early childhood obesity intervention. While mothers exhibited several potential risk factors for childhood obesity (e.g. fast food consumption), only maternal consumption of sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages, stress, and SNAP (food stamp receipt) were associated with infant overweight. Findings further reveal that stress and SNAP relate to child overweight, in part, through mothers' sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Results suggest that obesity prevention efforts must address specific individual choices as well as the external environment that shapes these consumption patterns.
authors.affiliation: Sociology Department, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA. tw15@txstate.edu
authors.forename: Toni Terling
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Appel
authors.forename: Kelley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.forename: Sarajane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D063105:Food Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012306:Risk; D015206:Southwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates