The Role of Parenting in Mitigating Epigenetic Cardiometabolic Risk in a Sample of Predominantly Latino Preschoolers
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Background
Childhood obesity is a prevalent public health concern, particularly among children from marginalized backgrounds. Epigenomic mechanisms, including DNA methylation (DNAm), offer insight into the biological embedding of metabolic risk, yet protective family-level factors remain understudied. This study examined whether participation in a positive parenting intervention was associated with reduced epigenetic cardiometabolic risk among preschool-aged children.
Methods
Participants were 74 children ( n = 35 intervention; n = 39 services-as-usual; mean age = 36 months). Using a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, DNAm-derived body mass index (BMI) and anthropometric BMI were assessed at baseline and 12-month follow-up, and parenting practices were observed post-treatment.
Results
Children in the intervention group demonstrated significantly lower DNAm BMI at 12 months relative to controls, adjusting for child sex, race and/or ethnicity, and anthropometric BMI. No treatment effect was observed for anthropometric BMI, and DNAm BMI was not associated with anthropometric BMI at 12 months. Although parenting practices improved, they did not mediate intervention effects on DNAm-derived BMI.
Conclusions
Parenting interventions may influence biological pathways related to cardiometabolic risk, even before changes in anthropometric outcomes, underscoring the potential of family-centered approaches to promote early metabolic health.
Impact
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Participation in a positive parenting intervention was associated with a lower epigenetic biomarker of BMI in preschool-aged children.
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Findings highlight a disconnect between biological markers and traditional anthropometric measures.
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Results underscore potential for early family-centered interventions to shape biological pathways associated with long-term health, ultimately supporting prevention strategies before clinical risk is observable.
