A longitudinal analysis of maternal depressive symptoms and children's food consumption and weight outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
Maternal depressive symptoms negatively impact mothers' parenting practices and children's development, but the evidence linking these symptoms to children's obesity is mixed.


METHODS
We use a large sample to examine contemporaneous and lagged associations between maternal depressive symptoms and children's BMI, obesity and food consumption, controlling for background characteristics.


METHODS
Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), a longitudinal study of children from infancy through kindergarten in the USA, were collected at four waves from 2001 to 2007, when children were 9 months, 2 years, 4 years and 5½years of age, through surveys, child assessments and observations.


METHODS
A sub-sample of children from the ECLS-B is used (n 6500).


RESULTS
Between 17 % and 19 % of mothers reported experiencing depressive symptoms; 17 % to 20 % of children were obese. Maternal depressive symptoms were associated with a small decrease in the likelihood her child was obese (0·8 percentage points) and with lower consumption of healthy foods. The duration of maternal depressive symptoms was associated with higher BMI (0·02 sd) among children whose parents lacked college degrees.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that mothers' depressive symptoms have small associations with children's food consumption and obesity. Among children whose parents lack college degrees, persistent maternal depressive symptoms are associated with slightly higher child BMI. Findings highlight the need to control for depression in analyses of children's weight. Interventions that consider maternal depression early may be useful in promoting healthy weight outcomes and eating habits among children.
1Department of Public Administration and Policy,School of Public Affairs,American University,4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW,Washington,DC 20016,USA.
Taryn W
TW
Morrissey
2Department of Health Services Administration,School of Public Health,University of Maryland,College Park,MD,USA.
Rada K
RK
Dagher
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology