Barbara E Wendland1, Leslie Atkinson2, Meir Steiner3, Alison S Fleming4, Paul Pencharz5, Ellen Moss6, Hélène Gaudreau7, Patricia P Silveira8, Tamara Arenovich9, Stephen G Matthews10, Michael J Meaney7, Robert D Levitan11. 1. Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada. Electronic address: bwendlan@ryerson.ca. 2. Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada. 3. Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada. 4. Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. 5. Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada. 6. Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada. 7. Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada. 8. Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada; Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. 9. Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada. 10. Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. 11. Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Large population-based studies suggest that systematic measures of maternal sensitivity predict later risk for overweight and obesity. More work is needed to establish the developmental timing and potential moderators of this association. The current study examined the association between maternal sensitivity at 6 months of age and BMI z score measures at 48 months of age, and whether sex moderated this association. DESIGN: Longitudinal Canadian cohort of children from birth (the MAVAN project). METHODS: This analysis was based on a dataset of 223 children (115 boys, 108 girls) who had structured assessments of maternal sensitivity at 6 months of age and 48-month BMI data available. Mother-child interactions were videotaped and systematically scored using the Maternal Behaviour Q-Sort (MBQS)-25 items, a standardized measure of maternal sensitivity. Linear mixed-effects models and logistic regression examined whether MBQS scores at 6 months predicted BMI at 48 months, controlling for other covariates. RESULTS: After controlling for weight-relevant covariates, there was a significant sex by MBQS interaction (P=0.015) in predicting 48 month BMI z. Further analysis revealed a strong negative association between MBQS scores and BMI in girls (P=0.01) but not boys (P=0.72). Logistic regression confirmed that in girls only, low maternal sensitivity was associated with the higher BMI categories as defined by the WHO (i.e. "at risk for overweight" or above). CONCLUSIONS: A significant association between low maternal sensitivity at 6 months of age and high body mass indices was found in girls but not boys at 48 months of age. These data suggest for the first time that the link between low maternal sensitivity and early BMI z may differ between boys and girls.
BACKGROUND: Large population-based studies suggest that systematic measures of maternal sensitivity predict later risk for overweight and obesity. More work is needed to establish the developmental timing and potential moderators of this association. The current study examined the association between maternal sensitivity at 6 months of age and BMI z score measures at 48 months of age, and whether sex moderated this association. DESIGN: Longitudinal Canadian cohort of children from birth (the MAVAN project). METHODS: This analysis was based on a dataset of 223 children (115 boys, 108 girls) who had structured assessments of maternal sensitivity at 6 months of age and 48-month BMI data available. Mother-child interactions were videotaped and systematically scored using the Maternal Behaviour Q-Sort (MBQS)-25 items, a standardized measure of maternal sensitivity. Linear mixed-effects models and logistic regression examined whether MBQS scores at 6 months predicted BMI at 48 months, controlling for other covariates. RESULTS: After controlling for weight-relevant covariates, there was a significant sex by MBQS interaction (P=0.015) in predicting 48 month BMI z. Further analysis revealed a strong negative association between MBQS scores and BMI in girls (P=0.01) but not boys (P=0.72). Logistic regression confirmed that in girls only, low maternal sensitivity was associated with the higher BMI categories as defined by the WHO (i.e. "at risk for overweight" or above). CONCLUSIONS: A significant association between low maternal sensitivity at 6 months of age and high body mass indices was found in girls but not boys at 48 months of age. These data suggest for the first time that the link between low maternal sensitivity and early BMI z may differ between boys and girls.
Authors: Margaret O Murphy; Joseph B Herald; Jacqueline Leachman; Alejandro Villasante Tezanos; Dianne M Cohn; Analia S Loria Journal: Int J Obes (Lond) Date: 2018-02-23 Impact factor: 5.095
Authors: Roberta Dalle Molle; Hajar Fatemi; Alain Dagher; Robert D Levitan; Patricia P Silveira; Laurette Dubé Journal: Neurosci Biobehav Rev Date: 2016-12-23 Impact factor: 8.989
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