Maternal Mindfulness Is Associated With Lower Child Body Mass Index Z Score.

Chioma Torres, Holly E Brophy-Herb, Harlan McCaffery, Julie Struza, Jessica M Williams, Hailey Hyunjin Choi, Mildred A Horodynski, Dawn Contreras, Jean Kerver, Niko Kaciroti, Julie C Lumeng

Journal: Academic pediatrics 2021;21(1):70-75

PMID: 32590057

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Abstract

BACKGROUND

Parental mindfulness may be a novel intervention target for child obesity prevention.

OBJECTIVE

To examine associations between maternal mindfulness and child body mass index z-score (BMIz).

METHODS

In a secondary data analysis of preintervention data from a randomized controlled trial, we assessed survey and anthropometric data from English-speaking mother/child dyads enrolled in Head Start in south central Michigan (n = 105). Surveys included demographic information, child dietary intake, family meal frequency, and the Philadelphia Mindfulness Questionnaire. Multivariable linear regression examined associations between maternal mindfulness and child BMIz, child intake of fruits and vegetables, and frequency of family meals.

RESULTS

Children were M = 53.7 (standard deviation [SD] 7.5) months old, and mothers were M = 31.6 (SD 8.3) years old. The sample of children was 39% white, 26% black, 14% Hispanic, and 35% of children were overweight or obese. Mean maternal BMI was 32.0 (SD 8.3). Greater mindfulness was associated with child BMIz (β = -.02 (SE 0.01), P = .027) adjusting for child race/ethnicity, household food security, maternal education, maternal age, and maternal BMI. Mindfulness was not associated with child fruit intake, child vegetable intake or frequency of family meals. The results were consistent with alternative outcomes of BMI percentile (P = .016) and BMI at the trend level (P = .0595) at the trend level.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater maternal mindfulness was associated with lower child BMIz. Future work should consider mechanisms of association. Pediatric providers might consider supporting maternal mindfulness as one element of multicomponent strategies for child obesity prevention.

Address: Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School (C Torres, J Struza, and JC Lumeng), Ann Arbor, Mich. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Michigan State University (HE Brophy-Herb, JM Williams, and HH Choi), East Lansing, Mich.; Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan (H McCaffery, N Kaciroti, and JC Lumeng), Ann Arbor, Mich.; Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School (C Torres, J Struza, and JC Lumeng), Ann Arbor, Mich.; College of Nursing, Michigan State University (MA Horodynski), East Lansing, Mich.; Michigan State University Extension, Michigan State University (D Contreras), East Lansing, Mich.; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University (J Kerver), East Lansing, Mich.; Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School (C Torres, J Struza, and JC Lumeng), Ann Arbor, Mich; Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan (H McCaffery, N Kaciroti, and JC Lumeng), Ann Arbor, Mich; Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health (JC Lumeng), Ann Arbor, Mich.

DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2020.06.012

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MeSH Terms: Body Mass Index, Child, Female, Humans, Infant, Michigan, Mindfulness, Mothers, Pediatric Obesity, Philadelphia