title: Food- and health-related correlates of self-reported body mass index among low-income mothers of young children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine how income-related challenges regarding food and health are associated with variation in self-reported maternal body weight among low-income mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two Northeastern cities. Seven day care centers and a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program outreach project.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sample of 166 mothers; 67% were overweight or obese, 55% were Hispanic, and 42% reported household food insecurity (HFI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Maternal self-reported height and weight to calculate body mass index (BMI). Independent variables were food program participation, supermarket use, 8-item food shopping practices scale, HFI, maternal depressive symptoms, and self-rated health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hierarchical multiple regression analysis tested relationships between maternal BMI with the independent variables of interest, adjusting for demographic confounds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Shopping practices to stretch food dollars (P = .04), using community food assistance programs (P < .05), and HFI (P < .04) correlated with heavier maternal BMIs; higher self-rated health corresponded to lower BMIs (P = .004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some strategies low-income mothers use to manage food resources are associated with heavier BMIs. Nutrition educators, public health practitioners, and researchers need to collaboratively address the associations between these strategies, food insecurity, poor health, and unhealthy weight.
authors: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI. Electronic address: kmccurdy@uri.edu.
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: McCurdy
authors: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI.
authors: Tiffani
authors: T
authors: Kisler
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI.
authors: Kathleen S
authors: KS
authors: Gorman
authors: Department of Nutrition, Simmons College, Boston, MA.
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Metallinos-Katsaras
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D063105:Food Assistance; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: food insecurity; food shopping practices; low-income; maternal body mass index; self-rated health