Complementary Feeding Frequency and Maternal Health: Reducing Anxiety and Improving Sleep Through Biobehavioral...

Area of Science:

• Maternal and Child Health
• Nutritional Science
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Maternal caregivers often experience anxiety and sleep disturbances.
• Complementary feeding's impact on maternal mental health via biobehavioral pathways is under-explored.
• This study investigates the link between infant complementary feeding and maternal mental health, considering infant age.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the associations between infant complementary feeding indicators and maternal sleep quality and anxiety.
• To explore the moderating role of infant age in these associations.

Main Methods:

• 543 mother-child pairs (infants 6-23 months) were recruited in southwestern China.
• WHO-recommended infant and child feeding (IYCF-CF) indicators, maternal sleep (PSQI), and anxiety (GAD-7) were assessed.
• Binary and ordinal logistic regression models analyzed associations and interaction effects with infant age.

Main Results:

• Mothers of infants achieving Minimum Meal Frequency had significantly lower odds of poor sleep quality (OR=0.67) and anxiety (OR=0.53).
• Infant age moderated the associations between Minimum Meal Frequency, Zero Fruit/Vegetable intake, and maternal sleep outcomes.
• Initial associations between feeding indicators and maternal sleep components were attenuated after adjusting for infant age.

Conclusions:

• Meeting Minimum Meal Frequency is associated with improved maternal sleep and reduced anxiety.
• Potential mechanisms include reduced caregiving stress and improved infant sleep.
• Integrating sleep guidance into infant and child feeding (IYCF) counseling may enhance maternal sleep health.