Diet Quality of Overweight and Obese Mothers and Their Preschool Children

Abstract Background Children of obese parents are more likely to become obese than children of normal-weight parents. However, there is little information regarding the diet intakes of children of obese parents. Objective Our objective was to determine the diet quality of preschoolers and their overweight/obese mothers, whether maternal and child diet quality were correlated, and predictors of child’s diet quality. Design Results are from baseline measurements from a randomized controlled behavioral intervention. Participants Participants were English-literate, postpartum mothers and their preschoolers (n=177 mother−child dyads) in North Carolina. Visits took place in the Triangle and Triad regions of North Carolina between September 2007 and November 2009. Main outcome measures We measured diet quality of mothers and preschoolers using the Healthy Eating Index-2005. Statistical analyses performed Descriptive statistics, χ2 , analysis of variance, Pearson correlations, and stepwise regression models were used. Results Only 11% of children and 7% of mothers had Healthy Eating Index-2005 scores ≥80. Most children did not meet recommendations for fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meat and beans, sodium, saturated fat, and energy from solid fat and added sugars. Child diet quality was correlated with maternal diet quality ( r =0.44; P