April 29: Alison Miller, University of Michigan

Stress, Self-Regulation, Eating Behavior and Obesity in Low-Income Children

Alison Miller is a developmental psychologist who studies child self-regulation, family processes, and social-contextual factors in relation to child health and mental health outcomes.  Obesity is a complex condition influenced by biological, psychological, behavioral and social-contextual factors, many of which can be established and identified early in the lifespan.  Recent attention has focused on the need for developmental science to inform the study of childhood obesity.  Importantly, income-related disparities in obesity are identifiable even in early childhood.
This presentation will focus on stress, self-regulation, and "stress-eating" behaviors as potential pathways to obesity and excessive weight gain among young, low-income children.  Specifically, the design and methods for the "Appetite, Behavior, and Cortisol (ABC)" studies will be introduced and initial findings presented regarding how child stress response relates to eating behavior and obesity in early childhood.  Implications for intervention work will also be considered.