Abstract
Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between maternal and childhood BMI at baseline in a group of 5- to 18-year-old children and their mothers, all of whom were of Mexican origin, low socioeconomic status, and enrolled in a cohort study in Houston, TX. Research Methods and Procedures: Using data from 438 mother-child dyads residing in the same household, we completed logistic regression analyses to determine maternal factors associated with the child being overweight or at-risk-for-overweight, after adjusting for the child's gender, age, and level of physical activity and other maternal confounders. Results: Almost one-half of the boys and girls (47% and 44%, respectively) were either overweight or at-risk-foroverweight. Obese mothers were twice as likely to have an overweight and/or at-risk-for-overweight child compared with normal-weight mothers. Women born in the U.S. were twice as likely to have an overweight and/or at-risk-foroverweight child compared with women born in Mexico. In addition, women with less than a high school education were twice as likely to have an overweight child compared with their more educated peers. Discussion: The high prevalence of overweight or at-riskfor-overweight among Mexican-origin children of low socioeconomic status suggests a continued need to develop and implement culturally sensitive preventive interventions for this minority population. Our data also suggest a need to tailor such interventions particularly for children of obese mothers and those born in the U.S.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 2512-2519 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Obesity |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2007 |
Keywords
- BMI
- Childhood obesity
- Hispanics
- Risk factors
- Socio-economic deprivation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
- Endocrinology
- Nutrition and Dietetics