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Non-linear relationship between maternal work hours and child body weight: Evidence from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study

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  • Li, Jianghong
  • Akaliyski, Plamen
  • Schäfer, Jakob
  • Kendall, Garth
  • Oddy, Wendy H.
  • Stanley, Fiona
  • Strazdins, Lyndall

Abstract

Using longitudinal data from the Western Australia Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study and both random-effects and fixed-effects models, this study examined the connection between maternal work hours and child overweight or obesity. Following children in two-parent families from early childhood to early adolescence, multivariate analyses revealed a non-linear and developmentally dynamic relationship. Among preschool children (ages 2 to 5), we found lower likelihood of child overweight and obesity when mothers worked 24 h or less per week, compared to when mothers worked 35 or more hours. This effect was stronger in low-to-medium income families. For older children (ages 8 to 14), compared to working 35–40 h a week, working shorter hours (1–24, 25–34) or longer hours (41 or more) was both associated with increases in child overweight and obesity. These non-linear effects were more pronounced in low-to-medium income families, particularly when fathers also worked long hours.

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  • Li, Jianghong & Akaliyski, Plamen & Schäfer, Jakob & Kendall, Garth & Oddy, Wendy H. & Stanley, Fiona & Strazdins, Lyndall, 2017. "Non-linear relationship between maternal work hours and child body weight: Evidence from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 186, pages 52-60.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:espost:184856
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.05.046
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    2. Kazakova, Yuliya, 2022. "Maternal employment and childhood obesity in Russia," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).

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