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Feeding practices and concerns as mediators between maternal mental health and eating behaviours in early childhood
This research examines the underexplored relationship between maternal mental health and child eating behaviors beyond infancy. Utilizing data from 409 mother-child dyads within the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes cohort, the study employs structural equation modeling to analyze the mediating effects of maternal feeding practices and concerns on the association between maternal depression and anxiety symptoms and child eating behaviors at age three. The findings indicate that maternal depression symptoms exhibit both direct and indirect associations with child eating behaviors. Specifically, maternal depression is directly linked to children’s enjoyment of food (B = 0.011, p = 0.015) and indirectly influences food responsiveness (B = 0.004, p = 0.034) through the use of food as a calming mechanism. In contrast, maternal anxiety symptoms are associated only indirectly with child eating behaviors, mediated by maternal feeding concerns rather than practices. For instance, maternal anxiety symptoms correlate with food responsiveness through perceived difficulties in feeding (B = −0.001, p = 0.011). The study concludes that depression and anxiety symptoms affect children’s eating behaviors differently; depression influences behaviors directly and indirectly, while anxiety is linked solely through feeding concerns. These findings prompt a reevaluation of the validity of mother-reported child eating behaviors, particularly in the context of maternal anxiety. [NPID: Eating behaviors, maternal mental health, child eating behavior, depression, anxiety]
Year: 2025
