Maternal stress and early childhood BMI among US children from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program.
Charles T WoodMarie L ChurchillMonica McGrathJudy AschnerSteven M BrunwasserSarah GeigerSemsa GogcuTina V HartertAllison E HipwellKathleen Lee-SarwarKristen LyallNora K MoogThomas G O'ConnorT Michael O'SheaP Brian SmithRosalind J WrightXueying ZhangEmily ZimmermanKathi C HuddlestonCallie L Brownnull nullPublished in: Pediatric research (2023)
Although existing literature suggests relationships between parental stress and childhood BMI, we found no linear associations between maternal stress in the first year of life and childhood BMI at 2-4 years of age among participants in ECHO cohorts. Higher maternal stress was significantly associated with Hispanic ethnicity, Black race, and public health insurance. Our analysis of a large, nationally representative sample challenges assumptions that maternal stress in the first year of life, as measured by a widely used scale, is associated with offspring BMI.