Prospective associations between parental substance use and youth highly processed food intake in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study.

BACKGROUND

Given growing evidence of overlap in characteristics of addictive substances and highly processed foods (e.g., ice cream), transdiagnostic approaches may be appropriate. Prior work indicates youth with parents who use addictive substances are at risk for greater substance use. The current study tested hypotheses that parental substance use behaviors would prospectively predict greater youth highly processed food intake [but not minimally processed food intake (e.g., fruit)].

METHODS

The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study was a longitudinal birth cohort study of youth (N = 4,898) born in large U.S. cities in 1998-2000. The current study was an archival data analysis using parental substance use data collected at youth birth and when youth were age 3, and youth diet data collected when youth were ages 5, 9, and 15.

RESULTS

Over and above the influence of covariates including family income, prenatal maternal illicit drug use significantly predicted 0.34, 0.23, and 1.32 servings increase in youth sugary food/beverage intake at ages 5, 9, and 15, respectively, and 0.25 servings increase in youth snack foods or chips intake at age 9. Prenatal maternal illicit drug use did not significantly predict youth fruit and vegetable intake at any age. Less consistent and weaker significant prospective associations emerged between postnatal maternal substance use and youth diet, and between paternal substance use and youth diet.

CONCLUSIONS

Prenatal exposure to illicit drugs may present transdiagnostic risk for greater youth highly processed food intake and substance use. Future causal and mechanistic research is warranted.