Open AccessMaternal mental health and infant dietary patterns in a statewide sample of M aryland WIC participants
Author(s) -
Hurley Kristen M.,
Black Maureen M.,
Merry Brian C.,
Caulfield Laura E.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
maternal and child nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1740-8709
pISSN - 1740-8695
DOI - 10.1111/mcn.12004
Subject(s) - medicine , depression (economics) , anxiety , confidence interval , distress , population , mental health , mental distress , demography , pediatrics , environmental health , psychiatry , clinical psychology , sociology , economics , macroeconomics
Abstract The study's objective was to examine the relation between maternal mental health and infant dietary intake. A cross‐sectional, population‐based telephone survey was employed within a statewide sample of M aryland S pecial S upplemental N utrition P rogram for W omen, I nfants and C hildren participants. A 24‐h diet recall was performed using the U nited S tates D epartment of A griculture A utomated M ultiple‐ P ass M ethod. Analyses presented were based on 689 mother–infant pairs. Overall, 36.5% of mothers reported introducing solids to their infants early (<4 months of age), and 40% reported adding cereal to their infant's bottle. Among 0–6‐month‐old infants, higher infant energy intake was associated with symptoms of maternal stress [ β = 0.02; confidence interval ( CI ): 0.01, 0.04], depression ( β = 0.04; CI : 0.01, 0.06) and overall maternal psychological distress ( β = 0.02; CI : 0.003, 0.03). With early introduction of solids in the model, the significant associations between infant energy intake and maternal stress and maternal psychological distress became marginal ( P ‘s = 0.06–0.10). The association between infant energy intake and maternal depression remained significant ( β = 0.03; CI : 0.01, 0.06). Among 4–6‐month‐old infants, intakes of breads and cereals were higher among mothers who reported more symptoms of stress ( β = 0.12; CI : 0.04, 0.23), depression ( β = 0.19; CI : 0.03, 0.34), anxiety ( β = 0.15; CI : 0.02, 0.27) and overall psychological distress ( β = 0.04; CI : 0.01, 0.07). Among 7–12‐month‐old infants, dietary intake was not related to mental health symptoms. Findings suggest poorer infant feeding practices and higher infant dietary intake during the first 6 months of age in the context of maternal mental health symptoms. Further research is needed to evaluate these effects on child dietary habits and growth patterns over time.