Emotional climate, feeding practices, and feeding styles: an observational analysis of the dinner meal in Head Start families

Abstract

BackgroundA number of studies conducted with ethnically diverse, low-income samples have found that parents with indulgent feeding styles had children with a higher weight status. Indulgent parents are those who are responsive to their child's emotional states but have problems setting appropriate boundaries with their child. Because the processes through which styles impact child weight are poorly understood, the aim of this study was to observe differences in the emotional climate created by parents (including affect, tone of voice, and gestures) and behavioral feeding practices among those reporting different feeding styles on the Caregiver's Feeding Styles Questionnaire. A secondary aim was to examine differences on child weight status across the feeding styles.MethodsParticipants were 177 Head Start families from Houston, Texas (45% African-American; 55% Hispanic). Using an observational approach, the relationship between the observed emotional climate of the meal, behavioral feeding practices, and self-reported parent feeding styles were examined. Mean age of the children was 4.4 years (SD = 0.7) equally distributed across gender. Families were observed on 3 separate dinner occasions. Heights and weight were measured on the parents and children.ResultsParents with self-reported indulgent feeding styles made fewer demands on their children to eat during dinner and showed lower levels of negative affect and intrusiveness. Surprisingly, these parents also showed higher levels of emotional detachment with their children during dinner. Hispanic boys with indulgent parents had significantly higher BMI z scores compared to Hispanic boys in the other three feeding style groups. No other differences were found on child weight status.ConclusionsResults suggest that the emotional climate created by indulgent parents during dinner and their lack of demands on their children to eat may play an important role in how young children become overweight. Numerous observed emotional climate and behavioral differences were found between the other self-reported feeding styles as well. Results suggest that parents' self-reported feeding styles may be a proxy for the emotional climate of the dinner meal, which may in turn influence the child's eating behaviors and weight status.

Asociación de la percepción materna del peso del hijo y estilos maternos de alimentación infantil

“…Lo anterior tiene implicaciones importantes para los profesionales de la salud, dado que en el contexto de la alimentación una madre autoritaria tiende a ejercer en el hijo mayor presión para comer, así como el restringir aquellos alimentos que considera no saludables, por lo que en este caso es de suma importancia evaluar el conocimiento que la madre tiene respecto a lo que constituye una alimentación saludable, del mismo modo la madre puede controlar la alimentación hasta el nivel que ella considera saludable, lo cual es posible mientras el hijo es pequeño, sin embargo dado que este no aprende a desarrollar la autorregulación alimentaria está en riesgo de sobrealimentación, cuando no está bajo la supervisión materna (31).…”

Differential Maternal Feeding Practices, Eating Self-Regulation, and Adiposity in Young Twins

“…Third, we did not explore other feeding styles that have been examined in the literature, such as indulgent feeding, which have been linked to obesity in lower-income families. [43][44][45][46] Finally, this study was conducted in a laboratory setting and drawing conclusions to eating behavior in the home setting should be done conservatively.…”

Analysis of the Correlation Between Children’s Eating Behavior and Parent’s Feeding Style Using Canonical Correlation Analysis

“…34,35 Hughes ve ark., araştırmalarında hoşgörülü besleme tarzı olan ebeveynlerin yemek sırasında birkaç isteği olduğunu ve daha az olumsuz yanıt verdiklerini saptamışlardır. 36 Ayrıca Hispanik hoşgörülü besleme tarzı olan ebeveynlerin erkek çocuklarının beden kitle endeksi skorları daha yüksek bulunmuştur. 35 Çalışmamızdaki TK alt boyutu, hoşgörülü besleme tarzına karşılık gelmektedir ve bu alt boyut, yukarıdaki sonuçları destekleyecek şekilde, iştahı gös-teren alt boyutlar ile ilişki bulunmuştur.…”