Maternal Feeding Practices and Childhood Obesity

Abstract

To identify maternal beliefs and practices about child feeding that are associated with the development of childhood obesity.Design: Four focus groups. One group of dietitians from the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in the Northern Kentucky Health District and 3 groups of mothers with children enrolled in WIC.Setting: The WIC program in the Northern Kentucky Health District.Participants: Fifteen WIC dietitians and 14 mothers (14 to 34 years of age) with young children (12 to 36 months of age) enrolled in WIC. Results:The mothers in this study (1) believed that it was better to have a heavy infant because infant weight was the best marker of child health and successful parenting, (2) feared that their infants were not getting enough to eat, which led them to introduce rice cereal and other solid food to the diets before the recommended ages, and(3) used food to shape their children's behaviors (eg, to reward good behavior or to calm fussiness). The mothers acknowledged that some of their child-feeding practices went against the advice of their WIC nutritionists and physicians. Instead, the participants relied on their mothers as their main source of information about child feeding.Conclusions: Physicians and allied health professionals discussing childhood growth with mothers should avoid implying that infant weight is necessarily a measure of child health or parental competence. Parents who use food to satisfy their children's emotional needs or to promote good behavior in their children may promote obesity by interfering with their children's ability to regulate their own food intake. Interventions to alter child-feeding practices should include education of grandmothers.

Beliefs about the Role of Parenting in Feeding and Childhood Obesity among Mothers of Lower Socioeconomic Status

“…Many of the mothers reported feeding their children in decidedly different ways from how they were fed growing up. This finding differs from previous studies that have described mothers of lower SES as strongly influenced by their own mothers’ advice about feeding 8, 10, 16–17. Findings may have differed due to characteristics of the sample or the way the interview questions were asked, but also suggest that mothers use their childhood feeding experiences as a point of reference, but often wish to distinguish their own feeding styles from those employed in their family of origin.…”

Latina Mothers' Beliefs and Practices Related to Weight Status, Feeding, and the Development of Child Overweight

“…Our findings are consistent with others (Baughcum et al, 1998; Kaiser et al, 2001, 2002; Sherry et al, 2004), suggesting that culturally appropriate interventions addressing child obesity among Latinos should provide guidance to parents and extended family members about the importance of healthy feeding practices. Such guidance should include information about well intended but potentially harmful strategies that may increase children's obesity risk.…”

Maternal Infant Feeding Behaviors and Disparities in Early Child Obesity

“…The majority of studies exploring disparities in early obesity have focused on infant feeding practices, specifically breastfeeding 11,12 and the early introduction of solids. 12,13 Consistent with these earlier studies, this study found that despite both groups having high rates of any breastfeeding, the high-risk group displayed less exclusive breastfeeding. The tendency for low-income, immigrant Hispanic women to exhibit decreased exclusive breastfeeding, despite high initiation rates 14 and increased combination feeding, has been attributed to acculturation and cultural beliefs, 15,16 including the perception that babies prefer formula, feelings that factors outside the mother's control dictate her ability to breastfeed, and concern about milk insufficiency.…”