Predicting BMI in Young Children with Developmental Delay and Externalizing Problems: Links with Caregiver Depressive Symptoms and Acculturation

Abstract

Background: Caregiver depression is associated with increased risk for childhood obesity. However, studies assessing the relation between caregiver depression and childhood obesity have focused primarily on typically developing, school-aged children and have not examined the influence of cultural factors.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between caregiver depressive symptoms and body mass index (BMI) scores in young children with developmental delay (DD) and externalizing behavior problems, as well as the moderating role of acculturation and enculturation on this association.

Methods: We examined the association between caregiver depressive symptoms and child BMI scores in 147 3-year-old children with DD and elevated levels of externalizing behavior problems. Caregivers of all participating children self-identified as coming from cultural minority backgrounds. We also examined the association between caregiver depressive symptoms and child BMI across levels of caregiver acculturation and enculturation.

Results: Higher levels of caregiver depressive symptoms were associated with higher child BMI scores (b = .189, p = .001). Acculturation significantly moderated the association between caregiver depressive symptoms and child BMI scores (b = .21, p = .01), such that the association was stronger for more acculturated caregivers. Enculturation was not a significant moderator.

Conclusions: Caregiver depressive symptoms may confer elevated risk for child obesity when caregivers are highly acculturated to the United States, suggesting clinicians should consider levels of acculturation to optimize services for children and families from cultural minority backgrounds.

Keywords: culture; depression; developmental perspectives; obesity.