Data were analysed from the UK Millennium Cohort Study on 2136 mothers and their 5-year-old children from ethnic minority groups, in this investigation into the impact of mothers’ experiences of racism upon various markers of early child health and development (obesity and socioemotional difficulties, as well as cognitive indicators: verbal, non-verbal and spatial ability test scores). Measures of racism included mothers’ experiences of perceived frequency of racist attacks in residential areas and interpersonal racism. Perception of racism in residential areas was associated with socioemotional difficulties (fully adjusted coefficient=1.40) and spatial abilities (fully adjusted coefficient=−1.99). Mothers’ experience of interpersonal racism was associated with an increased risk of obesity (‘received insults’ OR=1.47; ‘treated unfairly’ OR=1.57; ‘disrespectful treatment by shop staff’ OR=1.55), but all CIs crossed 1.0, and size estimates were attenuated on further statistical adjustment. Maternal experiences of racist insults were associated with non-verbal ability scores (fully adjusted coefficient=−1.70, SE=0.88).
