Brief report: Family meals, obesogenic factors, and depressive symptoms in youth

• Published in: Mental health and physical activity 2016-03, Vol.10, p.1-3
• Main Authors: DeCator, Draycen D, Carter, Jocelyn Smith, Schneider, Kristin L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Psychiatry
• ISSN: 1755-2966; 1878-0199
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mhpa.2016.01.002

Abstract Objective Obesogenic factors are related to depressive symptoms in adolescence, though the exact mechanisms are still not fully understood. Sedentary behaviors (e.g., screen time) have been linked to depression, and are predicted by lower family meal frequency, suggesting they may play a mediational role between family meals and depressive symptoms. The current study sought to clarify the relationships among these variables. Methods A sample of 123 youth between the ages of eight and 14 years old ( M  = 11.90, SD  = 1.87) identifying predominantly as African American (33.3%) or Caucasian (36.7%) was examined. Regression analyses and Sobel tests with bootstraps were conducted to test the mediation model. In addition, analyses were conducted with the participants split by weight category (lean vs. overweight/obese) to examine for group differences. Results Preliminary evidence was found for a mediational relationship between family meal frequency and depressed mood, through sedentary screen time. However, no direct relationship was found from family meal frequency to depressed mood. In addition, the pattern of relationships was found to vary across weight categories. Conclusions Results suggest connections between eating behavior, sedentary screen time, and depression and support the possibility of forming family-based interventions to improve physical and mental health in youth. Further research is required to determine the role of weight status and to account for potential confounds.