Abstract
BACKGROUND: Meta-analysis shows that parental cigarette smoking is associated with child obesity. OBJECTIVES: This study tested for associations between severity of maternal nicotine dependence and longitudinal changes in child eating behavior in archival data analysis. METHODS: Maternal nicotine dependence was assessed with the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence. Child eating behavior was assessed with the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire when children were ages 4, 6, 8, and 10. RESULTS: Over and above the influence of child age, child biological sex, and family income-to-needs ratio, more severe maternal nicotine dependence was associated with greater increases in child Food Responsiveness (γ = 0.07, SE(γ) = 0.03, P = .014, 95% CI [0.01, 0.13]) and Emotional Overeating (γ = 0.06, SE(γ) = 0.03, P = .024, 95% CI [0.01, 0.11]) across 6 years. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal nicotine dependence may be a transdiagnostic risk factor that identifies children at risk for reward-driven, obesogenic eating behavior.