Carmen R Isasi1, Simin Hua1, Molly Jung2, Mercedes R Carnethon3, Krista Perreira4, Denise C Vidot5, Christian R Salazar1, Jessica L McCurley6, Daniela Sotres-Alvarez7, Linda Van Horn3, Alan M Delamater8, Maria M Llabre5, Linda C Gallo9. 1. 1 Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx, NY. 2. 2 Department of Epidemiology and the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore, MD. 3. 3 Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University , Chicago, IL. 4. 4 Department of Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC. 5. 5 Department of Psychology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine , Miami, FL. 6. 6 SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University , San Diego, CA. 7. 7 Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC. 8. 8 Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine , Miami, FL. 9. 9 Department of Psychology, San Diego State University , Chula Vista, CA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Prior studies indicate that chronic stress is associated with obesity in adults. However, whether parental/caregiver stress is associated with obesity in their offspring has not been widely examined in Hispanic/Latino populations. In this study, we evaluated the role of caregiver chronic stress on child obesity and whether home food environment or child lifestyle behaviors explained the association. METHODS: The study included a sample of Hispanic/Latino youth and their caregivers (n = 473) from the Study of Latinos (SOL) Youth study and the Hispanic Community Health Study/SOL Sociocultural Study, which enrolled children aged 8-16 years from four cities (Bronx, Chicago, Miami, and San Diego), and provided assessments of adult chronic stress. Poisson regression models were used to assess the association between parental/caregiver stress and child obesity, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Twenty-two percent of caregivers did not report any chronic stressors, 48% reported 1-2, and 29% reported ≥3 stressors. The prevalence of obesity in youth increased with number of caregiver stressors from 23% among those without caregiver stressors to 35% among those with ≥3 stressors (p for trend 0.03). After model adjustment, youths whose caregivers reported ≥3 stressors were more likely to be obese than youths whose caregivers reported no stressors (prevalence ratio = 1.53; 95% confidence interval 1.01-2.32). This association was independent of food home environment, child diet quality, and child physical activity, but it was not independent of caregiver obesity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that parental/caregiver chronic stress is related to obesity in their children. Future research is needed to confirm this association in longitudinal studies and in other population groups.
BACKGROUND: Prior studies indicate that chronic stress is associated with obesity in adults. However, whether parental/caregiver stress is associated with obesity in their offspring has not been widely examined in Hispanic/Latino populations. In this study, we evaluated the role of caregiver chronic stress on childobesity and whether home food environment or child lifestyle behaviors explained the association. METHODS: The study included a sample of Hispanic/Latino youth and their caregivers (n = 473) from the Study of Latinos (SOL) Youth study and the Hispanic Community Health Study/SOL Sociocultural Study, which enrolled children aged 8-16 years from four cities (Bronx, Chicago, Miami, and San Diego), and provided assessments of adult chronic stress. Poisson regression models were used to assess the association between parental/caregiver stress and childobesity, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Twenty-two percent of caregivers did not report any chronic stressors, 48% reported 1-2, and 29% reported ≥3 stressors. The prevalence of obesity in youth increased with number of caregiver stressors from 23% among those without caregiver stressors to 35% among those with ≥3 stressors (p for trend 0.03). After model adjustment, youths whose caregivers reported ≥3 stressors were more likely to be obese than youths whose caregivers reported no stressors (prevalence ratio = 1.53; 95% confidence interval 1.01-2.32). This association was independent of food home environment, child diet quality, and child physical activity, but it was not independent of caregiver obesity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that parental/caregiver chronic stress is related to obesity in their children. Future research is needed to confirm this association in longitudinal studies and in other population groups.
Entities:
Keywords:
caregiver stress; home environment; obesity; youth
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