title: Emotional availability, understanding emotions, and recognition of facial emotions in obese mothers with young children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent research has identified mother-child relationships of low quality as possible risk factors for childhood obesity. However, it remains open how mothers' own obesity influences the quality of mother-child interaction, and particularly emotional availability (EA). Also unclear is the influence of maternal emotional competencies, i.e. understanding emotions and recognizing facial emotions. This study aimed to (1) investigate differences between obese and normal-weight mothers regarding mother-child EA, maternal understanding emotions and recognition of facial emotions, and (2) explore how maternal emotional competencies and maternal weight interact with each other in predicting EA. A better understanding of these associations could inform strategies of obesity prevention especially in children at risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed EA, understanding emotions and recognition of facial emotions in 73 obese versus 73 normal-weight mothers, and their children aged 6 to 47 months (Mchild age=24.49, 80 females).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Obese mothers showed lower EA and understanding emotions. Mothers' normal weight and their ability to understand emotions were positively associated with EA. The ability to recognize facial emotions was positively associated with EA in obese but not in normal-weight mothers. Maternal weight status indirectly influenced EA through its effect on understanding emotions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal emotional competencies may play an important role for establishing high EA in interaction with the child. Children of obese mothers experience lower EA, which may contribute to overweight development. We suggest including elements that aim to improve maternal emotional competencies and mother-child EA in prevention or intervention programmes targeting childhood obesity.
authors.affiliation: Leipzig University Medical Center, IFB Adiposity Diseases, Germany; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University of Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: Sarah.Bergmann@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University of Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: Kai.Klitzing@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: von Klitzing
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University of Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: Anja.Keitel@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keitel-Korndörfer
authors.affiliation: Leipzig University Medical Center, IFB Adiposity Diseases, Germany; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University of Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: Verena.Wendt@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wendt
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University of Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: Matthias.Grube@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grube
authors.affiliation: University of Bamberg, Germany. Electronic address: Sarah.Herpertz@uni-bamberg.de.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herpertz
authors.affiliation: University of Bamberg, Germany. Electronic address: Astrid.Schuetz@uni-bamberg.de.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schütz
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University of Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: Annette.Klein@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Annette M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D012938:Social Perception; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Children; Emotional availability; Emotions; Mother–child interaction; Obesity