142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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301021
Influence of Neighborhood Violence and Cohesion on Maternal Depression and Maternal and Child Weight

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Natasha Brown, PhD, MPH , Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
Bridget Weller, PhD , Department of Pscyhiatry, Duke University, Durham, NC
DeLawnia Comer-HaGans, PhD, MS, MBA , Health Administration, Governors State University, University Park, IL
Background: Childhood obesity remains a public health concern.  Obese children are at increased risk for adult obesity and related chronic diseases.  Research suggests a link between neighborhood context and child weight; however, few studies explain the mechanisms by which neighborhoods may influence children’s weight. This study examined neighborhood violence and cohesion on maternal depression and its subsequent impact on maternal and child weight. We hypothesized that: 1) neighborhoods with more violence would be associated with higher risk for maternal depression and less neighborhood cohesion, 2) mothers living in neighborhoods with less social cohesion would be at higher risk for maternal depression, and 3) maternal depression would predict higher maternal body mass index (BMI), which, in turn, would predict higher child BMI.

Methods: We analyzed data collected by the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (2007 – 2010). The sample included 3,515 biological mothers (51.8% Black; 25.9% married).  Using Mplus 7.0, we conducted structural equation modeling which included measurement and structural components.

Results:  Mothers living in violent neighborhoods reported less neighborhood cohesion and were at an increased risk for depression. Mothers who had greater perceptions of neighborhood cohesion were less likely to be depressed and had a lower BMI; mothers with depressive symptoms were more likely to have a higher BMI. Further, children’s BMI increased as mother’s BMI increased.

Conclusions: Potential contextual effects may explain maternal and child weight.  These findings have important implications multisystemic interventions addressing the relationships between neighborhood environment, parental characteristics, and childhood obesity.

Learning Areas:

Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Explain the influence of neighborhood contextual factors on maternal mental health and weight and their relationships with childhood obesity.

Keyword(s): Maternal and Child Health, Depression

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have 12 years of progressive experience in studying obesity and related chronic diseases. Most recently, my work focuses on using qualitative and quantitative methods to examine neighborhood and family level influences on children's dietary/physical activity behaviors and subsequent weight status.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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