To examine the associations of home cooking with caregiver–child interaction and child mental health in Japan.

Cross-sectional data collected in 2018. Frequency of home cooking was assessed by a questionnaire among 4126 caregivers and classified as high (almost every day), medium (4–5 d/week) or low (≤3 d/week). Caregiver–child interaction was evaluated by assessing frequency of talking and playing together (per week). Behaviour problems and prosocial behaviour were assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and resilience was assessed using the Children’s Resilient Coping Scale.

Japan.

Children aged 9–10 years and their caregivers in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan.

Low and middle frequency of home cooking were associated with lower frequencies of talking about school life, talking about news with the child, talking about television shows with the child and helping with the child’s homework. Children with low and/or middle frequency of home cooking had more behaviour problems (low frequency: β = 3·95, 95 % CI 1·30, 6·59 and medium frequency: β = 3·38, 95 % CI 2·07, 4·70), lower prosocial behaviour (low frequency: β = −5·85, 95 % CI −10·04, −1·66) and lower resilience (low frequency: β = −6·56, 95 % CI −9·77, −3·35 and medium frequency: β = −4·11, 95 % CI −5·71, −2·51), compared with children with high frequency of home cooking after adjusting covariates including socio-economic status. These associations were mediated by child’s eating behaviours and/or caregiver–child interaction.

Creating an environment that encourages caregivers to cook at home may be important for children’s mental health.