Trajectories of growth in body mass index across childhood: Associations with maternal and paternal employment

Research links mothers’ employment to higher body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight-for-height, among their children. However, how maternal employment patterns relate to their children’s BMI trajectories, and the role that fathers’ employment plays in when and at what rate children grow, remain unclear. With data on children from 2 to 15 years of age living in two-parent families from the U.S. NICHD’s Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1107), individual growth models are used to describe American children’s BMI trajectories as predicted by maternal and paternal employment characteristics. Results indicate that, by age 15, children’s BMIs are, on average, nearly one-half of a standard deviation above recommended levels, and the majority of growth occurs during the preschool period. The duration of maternal employment, and combined measures of maternal and paternal employment duration, are both associated with higher child BMI across childhood. Associations are small but cumulative. Notably, the association between the duration of time children lived in dual-earner families and child BMI is larger than that between maternal employment duration alone and children’s BMI, which is strongest during the preschool period. Combined measures of maternal and paternal employment intensity, defined as the number of periods both parents worked 35 or more hours per week, are associated with higher child BMI during the preschool period only. Findings highlight the importance of taking into account both parents’ employment characteristics in investigating children’s physical development.

► This study examined children’s body mass index (BMI) trajectories from 2 to 15 years of age.
► By age 15, children’s BMIs are, on average, nearly 1/2 of a standard deviation above CDC-recommended standards.
► The duration of maternal employment and the duration of time both parents are employed are associated with higher measures of child BMI across childhood.
► Maternal employment duration and combined measures of parents’ work hours appear most important during the preschool period.
► Both parents’ employment characteristics are important for children’s development, particularly before kindergarten entry.