The association between maternal depressive symptomology and child dinner dietary quality among Hispanic Head Start families

Abstract

Dietary quality is important for children’s growth and development. Poor dietary quality and maternal depression are prevalent among low-income, Hispanic families. Maternal depression likely influences child feeding before and during the meal. This secondary data analysis of an observational feeding study (2007–2008) examined how maternal depressive symptomology relates to dietary quality of dinner served to and consumed by Head Start preschoolers in Houston, TX (n = 82 mother-child dyads). A digital photography method assessed food served and consumed by the child at three separate dinner meals in families’ homes. Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI) was calculated and averaged across the three meals to measure dietary quality (possible range 0–100). Maternal depression was assessed by the Centers for Epidemiologic Depression Scale (CES-D, possible range 0–60). A series of linear regression models were developed, regressing the total CES-D score and all four CES-D subscales onto both the dietary quality of the meal served and consumed. Dinners served had a HEI of 45.70 ± 9.19 and dinners consumed had a HEI of 44.65 ± 7.34. Clinically significant depressive symptomology (CES-D ≥ 16) was reported by 28% of mothers. Maternal depressive symptomology and the dietary quality served were not related. Controlling for dietary quality served, total CES-D and somatic complaints subscale scores were associated with lower dietary quality consumed (respectively, β = −0.16, p < 0.05 and β = −0.23, p < 0.01). Among low-income, Hispanic families, maternal depressive symptomology was predictive of the dietary quality consumed, but not served. Together, these findings reinforce the importance of parent feeding behaviors and emotional climates during dinner.

Parent Feeding Practices in the Context of Food Insecurity

“…Parent feeding practices include behaviors such as restricting food, pressuring children to eat, setting rules about food consumption, monitoring what children eat, providing praise, and modeling eating behaviors [ 11 ]. Regarding child food consumption and health outcomes, the way children are fed may be just as important, if not more important, as what and how much food is served [ 12 ].…”

Evaluation of a Health Education Intervention to Improve Parental Knowledge and Attitudes About Chronic Stress and Depression Among Head Start Families

“…The majority of EHS/HS children reside in households with a single parent and experience food insecurity, unemployment, and economic hardship (Administration for Children and Families, 2015). Not surprisingly, issues of chronic parental stress and depression are highly prevalent among EHS/HS families (Arlinghaus et al, 2020; Hustedt et al, 2017). Studies indicate that up to one in two mothers whose children attend either EHS or HS experience significant levels of depressive symptoms (Administration for Children and Families, 2015; Baker, 2018; Silverstein et al, 2017).…”

Eating behaviors as pathways from early childhood adversity to adolescent cardiometabolic risk.

“…Early postnatal maternal depression may persist from the prenatal period, and prenatal depression is hypothesized to biologically program offspring brain development and food intake based on prenatal maternal stress research (St-Hilaire et al, 2015). Maternal depressive symptoms have been associated with alterations in eating behaviors and stress system regulation in offspring (Arlinghaus et al, 2020; Gump et al, 2009; Kidwell et al, 2017). As a result, there may be multiple prenatal and postnatal pathways by which maternal depressive symptoms in early life could lead to greater cardiometabolic risk, which suggests that supporting maternal mental health could improve child eating behaviors.…”

“…E. Hill et al, 2016; Schuler et al, 2020), negative life events (Dong et al, 2004; A. L. Miller et al, 2018; Wiss & Brewerton, 2020), and maternal depression (Arlinghaus et al, 2020; Barker et al, 2013; Gump et al, 2009). However, few studies have compared these types of adversity to understand whether they may lead to greater cardiometabolic risk through similar or unique pathways.…”