The SibSIGHT Study | Penn State College of Health and Human Development

Effects of Birth Order and Genetics on Infant Parenting and Obesity Risk (The SibSIGHT Study)

National Institute of Health
Co-PI’s: Drs. Ian Paul, Hershey Medical Center, & Leann Birch, University of Georgia
Co-I: Dr. Jennifer Savage Williams, CCOR

Capitalizing on the infrastructure and extensive data collection occurring as part of INSIGHT, this research study (referred to as “SibSIGHT” by CCOR) adds two major pieces by enrolling second born siblings and collecting genetic specimens from both siblings and their parents.

Using the conceptual framework of responsive parenting, it can be hypothesized that mothers have improved responsiveness and more appropriate caretaking behaviors due to the experience gained with their first child. This hypothesis will be tested by comparing the >100 second-born siblings that can be expected to be born during the proposed funding period. The additional goal of this study is to explore how differences in genetic susceptibility to obesity and observed differences in appetite and temperament moderate associations between responsive parenting and weight status at age one year.