Examining the Associations between Household Chaos and Child Diet Quality and Obesity Risk

Abstract

The home environment is an influential framework for child health outcomes. The Confusion, Hubbub, and Order Scale (CHAOS) was developed by Matheny and colleagues to measure the level of disorganisation in the home. Families across all levels of socioeconomic status report moderate to high scores on the CHAOS. However, associations between the CHAOS and child diet and weight outcomes have not been extensively examined. This thesis examined associations between CHAOS scores and the diet quality (n=131), BMI-z score (n=90), and percent fat mass (n=72) of children between the ages of two and six years. Linear regression using generalized estimating equations was used to investigate associations between household chaos and children’s diet quality, BMI-z score, and percent fat mass. In this sample, there were no significant associations between chaos and children’s diet quality, BMI z-score, or percent fat mass. Researchers should continue to examine these relationships in diverse samples.