Maternal Health and Child Weight Perception: A Cross-Sectional Study of U.S. Mothers
Abstract
Introduction: Maternal health significantly influences child development and well-being, with stress and poor mental health linked to increased childhood obesity, unhealthy behaviors, and negative parenting practices. Understanding these associations is crucial to effectively addressing childhood obesity and developing targeted interventions that promote maternal well-being, healthy parenting strategies, and a supportive environment for optimal child growth and development.
Objective: This study aims to explore the association between maternal physical and mental health and concerns regarding children’s weight among mothers in the United States.
Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2021-2022 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). Logistic regression assessed the association between maternal physical and mental health status (categorized as excellent/very good or not excellent/very good), and concerns about child weight (concerned it is too high or too low), adjusting for confounders such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, and BMI.
Results: The findings indicate that mothers who reported that one or both aspects of their physical and mental health were not excellent or very good were 1.70 times (95% CI: 1.59, 1.82) as likely to express concerns about their child’s weight being too high. Similarly, these mothers were 2.09 times (95% CI: 1.90, 2.31) as likely to report concerns regarding their child’s weight being too low compared to mothers who rated their health as excellent or very good.
Discussion: The results highlight a significant association between maternal health concerns and child weight, suggesting that mothers in poorer health may have heightened perceptions of their children's weight, potentially impacting their children's overall health outcomes. Thus, there is a need for public health initiatives that prioritize maternal health support, as improving mothers' physical and mental well-being may reduce concerns about child weight and promote healthier family dynamics.
Keywords
maternal health, child well-being, mental health, weight
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Maternal Health and Child Weight Perception: A Cross-Sectional Study of U.S. Mothers
Introduction: Maternal health significantly influences child development and well-being, with stress and poor mental health linked to increased childhood obesity, unhealthy behaviors, and negative parenting practices. Understanding these associations is crucial to effectively addressing childhood obesity and developing targeted interventions that promote maternal well-being, healthy parenting strategies, and a supportive environment for optimal child growth and development.
Objective: This study aims to explore the association between maternal physical and mental health and concerns regarding children’s weight among mothers in the United States.
Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2021-2022 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). Logistic regression assessed the association between maternal physical and mental health status (categorized as excellent/very good or not excellent/very good), and concerns about child weight (concerned it is too high or too low), adjusting for confounders such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, and BMI.
Results: The findings indicate that mothers who reported that one or both aspects of their physical and mental health were not excellent or very good were 1.70 times (95% CI: 1.59, 1.82) as likely to express concerns about their child’s weight being too high. Similarly, these mothers were 2.09 times (95% CI: 1.90, 2.31) as likely to report concerns regarding their child’s weight being too low compared to mothers who rated their health as excellent or very good.
Discussion: The results highlight a significant association between maternal health concerns and child weight, suggesting that mothers in poorer health may have heightened perceptions of their children's weight, potentially impacting their children's overall health outcomes. Thus, there is a need for public health initiatives that prioritize maternal health support, as improving mothers' physical and mental well-being may reduce concerns about child weight and promote healthier family dynamics.
