Lay Summary

We examined whether children of mothers with consistently high depressive symptoms were characterized by more health risks as young adults compared to those whose mothers reported low depressive symptoms. Children whose mothers had consistently high depressive symptoms between child ages 2 and 10 had higher levels of systemic chronic inflammation at age 19 years old, higher BMI, and also reported more somatic symptoms. This is important because it suggests that supporting mothers’ well-being is not only beneficial for mothers, but can have long-lasting impacts on their children’s health risk.

Background

Psychiatric diseases, cardiovascular disease, and cancer are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Precursors and pre-disease states related to these conditions, including systemic elevated chronic inflammation (e.g., C-reactive protein; CRP), high BMI, somatic symptoms, and unhealthy behaviors (e.g., poor sleep, poor diet, physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, and smoking), are common in young adults. But what predicts these young adult health risks? Research has pointed to adverse childhood exposures, including poverty and maltreatment. One currently neglected factor is exposure to maternal depression during childhood – which is known to correlate with children’s socioemotional and behavioral difficulties. Emerging work also points to associations of maternal depression with their children’s physical health. However, long-term longitudinal studies of these associations into young adulthood are scarce. The aim of this study is to examine chronically high levels of maternal depressive symptoms in childhood as a risk factor for young adult behavioral and physical health risks.

Methods

Mothers and children (N=416 families) from a community-cohort study from the US were first assessed at child age 2 and followed for 17 years. Maternal depressive symptoms in childhood were mother-reported at child ages 2, 4, 5, 7, and 10. Latent basis growth mixture models identified two trajectory groups that best captured heterogeneity in maternal depressive symptoms trajectories: stable low (88%) and stable high (12%). At age 19, 292 young adult offspring self-reported somatic symptoms and unhealthy behaviors. Height and weight were measured in the laboratory to calculate BMI. Blood samples were collected in young adulthood, from which CRP was assayed.

Results

Preliminary analyses suggest that young adults whose mothers experienced stable high depressive symptoms had higher levels of CRP, higher BMI, and more somatic symptoms compared to the rest of the sample. No group differences were found for cumulative unhealthy behaviors. Additional analyses will consider demographic covariates, specific unhealthy behaviors, and young adult depression.

Conclusion

Exposure to maternal depressive symptoms in childhood predict young adult physical health risks, and, in turn, later morbidity and mortality. Supporting mothers’ mental health could also promote the next generation’s health and well-being.