Family stress and child BMIz during the COVID-19 pandemic: exploring the mediating effects of cortisol
Authors' conclusion
Future research should continue to investigate hair cortisol as a measure of chronic stress among children younger than 6 years and explore other mechanisms of how chronic stress is associated with children's weight outcomes, such as through parenting practices that influence children's eating behaviour or physical activity, or children's weight-related behaviours.
Study context
- Population
- Children aged 2–6 years in the Family Stress Study during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Participants
- 228 children
- Exposure
- Family chronic stress index, with child hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as mediator
- Outcome
- Child BMIz
- Follow-up
- Baseline
Methodological detailsbaseline data, mediation analysis (Hayes PROCESS), adjusted for household income and child ethnicity/race
- Baseline data
- Mediation analysis (Hayes PROCESS)
- Adjusted for household income and child ethnicity/race
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Association of family chronic stress index with child BMIz
Total effect of family chronic stress index on child BMIz (b), 95% CI 0.181-1.449; higher BMIz
0.815
Indirect effect via child HCC (b), CI −0.042-0.076; not mediated
0.004
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Family stress and child BMIz during the COVID-19 pandemic: exploring the mediating effects of cortisol. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 21 May 2025. doi:10.
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