Maternal Health Matters – The Home Food Environment and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors
Authors: Hibbs‐Shipp Sarah K , Johnson Susan L , Boles Richard , Nelson Tracy , Wdowik Melissa , Bellows Laura L 
Published: November 2023

Background

Mothers function as gatekeepers of the home food environment (HFE) and role models for children's dietary intake. Research on how maternal dietary intake and cardiometabolic risk factors interact with the HFE, and whether these parameters associate with child weight status is critical. The purpose of this cross‐sectional study was to explore correlations among home food availability, maternal dietary intake, maternal cardiometabolic risk factors, and child weight status.

Methods

Mothers were recruited from 12 Colorado Head Starts/preschools. Mothers completed the following assessments: questionnaires on health history, physical activity, and HFE; in‐person measures of anthropometrics, cardiometabolic factors (non‐fasting lipids, HbA1c, blood pressure, pulse), and dietary intake (24‐hr dietary recall). Child's anthropometrics were collected at school. Preliminary analyses included descriptive statistics and Spearman's correlations (SPSS v.23).

Results

Study participants were 58 mothers (ages 22–51, mean age 33.4 ± 6.7 years, 60% Hispanic, 38% ≤ high school education, 55% ≤185% of poverty); participants' children were 53% female, 66% Hispanic, 38% overweight/obese.

Cardiometabolic risk factor prevalence

Mothers were 72% overweight/obese, 74% had central adiposity (waist circumference ≥35 in), 47% had HDL‐cholesterol (HDL‐C) < 50 mg/dL, 31% had HBA1c > 5.7%, and dietary intake was poor with an HEI2010 mean score of 47.5 ± 14.9.

Home food availability

The presence of multiple types of sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) in the home was positively correlated with HbA1c (rs=.38,p<.01), and the presence of multiple types of child‐friendly foods was negatively correlated with maternal intake of both whole grains (rs =‐−.30, p<.05) and total fruit (rs=−.29, p<.05).

Dietary intake

HEI total fruit (rs=0.32,p<.05) and total score (rs=0.26, p<.05) categories were positively correlated with HDL‐C. HEI total fruit was negatively correlated with diastolic blood pressure (rs=−0.35,p<.01). Nut (rs=−0.28,p<.05) and soy (rs=−0.49,p<.01) intakes were negatively correlated with HbA1c.

Child weight status

Child BMIz was positively correlated with maternal BMI (rs=.35, p<.01), negatively correlated with maternal HDL‐C (rs=−0.32, p<.05). Maternal diet was not correlated with child BMI.

Discussion

These findings indicate, in this population of health disparate mothers, those with a more healthful diet had lower levels of cardiometabolic risk factors. Additionally, the significant associations between the HFE and maternal dietary intake, and the HFE and maternal cardiometabolic factors indicate that there may be potential for interventions that support healthful changes in the HFE to affect health outcomes. Maternal BMI and HDL‐C were significantly correlated with child BMIz, indicating that maternal health may be important to consider when developing child health interventions.

Next steps include evaluating if components of the HFE predict dietary intake or cardiometabolic risk factors. Longitudinal studies are needed to test temporal effects of home food availability and maternal health, as well as potential cumulative effects on child growth and development.

Support or Funding Information

Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station Grant #COL00640, Colorado State University School of Public Health Faculty Seed Grant