The association of parental/caregiver chronic stress with youth obesity: findings from the study of Latino youth and the Hispanic community health study/study of Latinos sociocultural ancillary study

While previous studies have indicated a link between obesity and chronic stress in adults, the focus of this 2017 study was the potential association between parental/caregiver stress with obesity in the children/offspring. This present study examined this relationship among HispanicLatino populations and investigated whether this connection can be explained by home food environment or child lifestyle. The child participants were aged between 8 and 16 years, and were from the Bronx, Chicago, Miami, and San Diego. Around 22% of the caregivers did not report any chronic stressors, while 48% reported between one and two, and 29% revealed 3 or more stressors. There was a correlation between increased numbers of caregiver stressors with greater incidence of obesity in the children/adolescents. Youths whose caregivers reported ≥3 stressors were more likely to be obese than young people whose caregivers had no stressors. In summary, parental or caregiver chronic stress appears to be related to obesity in their children. [NPID: chronic stress, obesity, caregivers, Latinos, Hispanics, parental stress, parents, adolescents, children, US, USA, Bronx, Miami, Chicago, San Diego]

Year: 2017

Reference: Isasi, C. R., Hua, S., Jung, M., Carnethon, M. R., Perreira, K., Vidot, D. C., Salazar, C. R., McCurley, J. L., Sotres-Alvarez, D., Van Horn, L., Delamater, A. M., Llabre, M. M., & Gallo, L. C. (2017). The Association of Parental/Caregiver Chronic Stress with Youth Obesity: Findings from the Study of Latino Youth and the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study. Childhood obesity (Print), 13(4), 251–258. https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2016.0205

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