ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the existing literature on the association between parents' depression and anxiety and their influence on their children's weight during childhood, identifying possible mechanisms involved in this association. METHODS A systematic search of the literature was conducted in the PubMed, PsycINFO and SciELO databases, using the following descriptors: (maternal OR mother* OR parent* OR paternal OR father) AND ("common mental disorder" OR "mental health" OR "mental disorder" OR "depressive disorder" OR depress* OR anxiety OR "anxiety disorder") AND (child* OR pediatric OR offspring) AND (overweight OR obes* OR "body mass index" OR BMI). A total of 1,187 articles were found after peer selection. RESULTS In total, 16 articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected for the review. Most of them investigated depressive symptoms and only three, symptoms of maternal anxiety. The evaluated studies suggested a positive association between symptoms of maternal depression and higher risk of childhood obesity. The results diverged according to the chronicity of depressive symptoms (episodic or recurrent depression) and income of the investigated country (high or middle income). Mechanisms were identified passing by quality of parenthood, affecting behaviors related to physical activity and child-feeding, as mediators of the association. CONCLUSIONS We conclude there is evidence of a positive relationship between the occurrence of maternal symptoms of depression and anxiety and childhood obesity. It is emphasized the need for a better understanding on the effect of depressive symptoms and the contextual factors involved in this relationship so that effective intervention strategies can be implemented.
Subject(s)
Anxiety Disorders/psychology , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Parents/psychology , Pediatric Obesity/psychology , Body Mass Index , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Parent-Child Relations , Socioeconomic FactorsABSTRACT
A community intervention was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of leadership training in the Children's Mission (of the Brazilian Catholic Church) for providing nutritional counseling on hemoglobin variation in children less than six years of age. Two areas of activity by the Children's Mission in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, were randomly selected and the leaders in one were trained (intervention group). The other area constituted the control group. After providing consent, mothers were interviewed concerning the family and the child's health and eating. Hemoglobin was measured with a portable photometer upon entry into the study and at six months. The outcome variable was hemoglobin variation between the first and second measurements. The study included 183 intervention children and 179 controls, comparable as to sex, age, characteristics at birth, iron supply, and mean hemoglobin. In the adjusted analysis, variation in the intervention group was 0.18 +/- 0.27 g/dl greater than in the control group. Although the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant, the variation was positive in the intervention group and negative in the control group, suggesting a beneficial effect from the training.
Subject(s)
Child Nutrition Sciences/education , Health Education/methods , Hemoglobins/analysis , Nutrition Surveys , Case-Control Studies , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Interviews as Topic , Male , Program Evaluation , Single-Blind MethodABSTRACT
Para avaliar a efetividade do treinamento das líderes da Pastoral da Criança em aconselhamento nutricional sobre a variação da hemoglobina entre menores de seis anos, foi realizada uma intervenção comunitária. Por sorteio, uma das duas áreas de ação da Pastoral da Criança em Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, foi selecionada e as líderes treinadas (Grupo Intervenção). A outra área constituiu o Grupo Controle. Após consentimento, a mãe foi entrevistada sobre a família, saúde e alimentação da criança. A hemoglobina foi medida com fotômetro portátil ao ingressar no estudo e após seis meses. O desfecho foi a variação da hemoglobina, da primeira para a segunda medida. Ingressaram 183 crianças intervenção e 179 crianças controle, comparáveis quanto ao sexo, idade, características ao nascer, aporte de ferro e nível médio de hemoglobina. Na análise ajustada, a variação no grupo intervenção foi 0,18 ± 0,27g/dl maior do que no controle. Embora a diferença entre os grupos não fosse estatisticamente significativa, a variação foi positiva no grupo intervenção e negativa no grupo controle, sugerindo benefício do treinamento.
