Family Income, Maternal Marital Status and Employment, and the Development of Obesity during Childhood

The prevalence of obesity in children reaches an epidemic level in the Unites States. We examined the longitudinal association of family income level, maternal marital status, and maternal employment with body mass measurements and the development of obesity. Data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) was used. BMI percentile and overweight status were defined according to CDC's criteria and assessed when children were 54 month old, at grade 1 and 3. Family income, maternal marital status, and maternal employment status were assessed when children were 24 and 54 months old. Covariates included maternal age, ethnicity, education, child's sex, and birth weight. The prevalence of overweight and obesity over childhood was calculated and compared among the different categories of a family factor using Chi-square test. BMI percentiles across the different categories of a potential risk factor were compared using t test and ANOVA. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were used for simultaneous adjustment for the covariate. Result: Children in families below poverty line were at higher risk of being overweight and obese compared to children in families above poverty line. Children with mothers who were never married and not living together with their partners had a higher risk of obesity than other groups. Maternal employment status was not shown to be associated with childhood obesity. In summary, family income and maternal marital status, but not maternal employment, were associated with childhood obesity.