A Comparison of Maternal Health Status and Weight-Related Cognitions, Behaviors, and Home Environments by Race/Ethnicity.

Colleen L Delaney,Kim Spaccarotella,Carol Byrd-Bredbenner

doi:10.3390/nu12113592

Colleen L Delaney, Kim Spaccarotella + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113592

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Abstract

This cross-sectional study compared weight-related cognitions, behaviors, and home environments of 568 mothers of young children (ages 2 to <9 years) by racial/ethnic group. Maternal health status was good and did not differ by race/ethnicity. Mothers were somewhat confident in their ability to promote healthy physical activity and eating behaviors in their children, with White and Asian mothers having greater confidence than Hispanic mothers. Mothers had low physical activity, with Hispanic mothers getting more sedentary screentime than White and Asian mothers. Mothers’ dietary intake did not differ. Modeling of healthful behaviors was more frequent in White than Hispanic mothers. Asian mothers tended to use non-recommended feeding patterns more than White, Hispanic, and Black mothers. Children’s physical activity and screentime did not differ by race/ethnicity. Asian children tended to drink less sugar-sweetened beverages and more milk than counterparts. All reported frequent family meals, with Hispanic mothers reporting more family meals eaten in less healthful locations. Household food environments did not differ. However, White mothers reported greater access to physical activity space and supports than Hispanic mothers. Race/ethnicity may link with maternal weight-related cognitions, behaviors, and home environments and thus can help inform the development of interventions tailored by race/ethnicity.

Highlights

Obesity rates in the United States have more than doubled since 1970 [1,2,3]
Mothers were 32.73 ± 5.55SD years old and were predominately White (60%) and Hispanic (26%), with fewer mothers describing themselves as Black (8%) or Asian (6%)
Previous studies reported that Black households have family meals less often and Hispanic families share more family meals [114,123,124,125], all mothers in this study reported that they have frequent family meals with no racial/ethnic differences in family meal frequency

Summary

Introduction

Obesity rates in the United States have more than doubled since 1970 [1,2,3]. This increase is even more drastic for minorities: obesity and overweight prevalence rose 120% for Blacks and Hispanics over the past three decades [4]. Among children living in the U.S, Hispanic children have the highest rates of overweight among all racial and ethnic groups, with 39% being overweight or obese versus 29%, 35%, and 20% of non-Hispanic White, Black, and Asian children [5]. This disproportion is even more profound among preschool-aged Hispanic children in the U.S, 22% of whom are obese compared to 8% of all other U.S preschool-aged children [7]. Obesity affects physical health—it can Nutrients 2020, 12, 3592; doi:10.3390/nu12113592 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients

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