Maternal feeding style and child weight status among Hispanic families with low-income levels: a longitudinal study of the direction of effects

Abstract

Background The home environment is a central and modifiable influence on the development of childhood obesity. Evidence supports the central role of parents in shaping problematic child eating behaviors and excess weight. Most studies of feeding emphasize parent-driven influences without taking into account the child’s role in eating interactions. Few studies have addressed the bi-directional nature of feeding dynamics in studies of young children. Methods The goals of this study were: 1) to examine if parental feeding styles during preschool (4–5 years) predict child weight status at 7–9 years, and 2) to examine the direction of effects between parental feeding styles and child weight status over time. Participants were part of a larger longitudinal study of Hispanic Head Start families living in the West South Central United States. Data from mother/child dyads were collected at three time points: Time 1 (ages 4–5), Time 2 (ages 5 ½-6 ½), and at Time 3 (ages 7–9). Only data from the Times 1 and 3 were used in the current analyses. A total of 128 mothers and their children had data on all variables needed for the analyses. Assessments included parent-reported feeding styles, feeding practices, acculturation, child eating behaviors, and child height and weight. Hierarchical regression was used to examine the first aim; a cross-lagged panel analysis examined the second aim. Results An indulgent parental feeding style at ages 4–5 was associated with increased child BMI z-score at ages 7–9. Indulgent feeding significantly contributed to child BMI z-score beyond demographics, baseline child BMI z-score, parental acculturation, and child eating behaviors. Regarding the direction of effects in parental feeding interactions, the cross-lagged analyses showed that both indulgent feeding style and authoritative feeding style at Time 1 positively predicted child BMI z-scores at Time 3. Child effects were significant as well. Child BMI z-score at Time 1 positively predicted indulgent feeding and negatively predicted authoritarian feeding at Time 3. Conclusions Indulgent feeding should be addressed in future family-focused childhood obesity initiatives focused on young children and their parents.

Parental Feeding Styles and Their Association With Complementary Feeding Practices and Growth in Mexican Children

“…Related to the existing literature, there are no recent studies and data on PFS in Mexican mothers of children under 1 year of age. However, PFS have been explored in low income Hispanic mothers of preschool-age children (10) and in low income African-American and Latino mothers of infants (15,21), both groups residing in the United States. Additionally, PFS have been studied in Latin America but focused on preschool-age children (13).…”

“…During the CF period, the age of food introduction, genetic predisposition, and parental feeding styles (PFS), determine both food preferences and consumption patterns which may influence dietary habits throughout life (9). PFS, the attitudes that characterize parental actions to maintain or modify child eating behaviors, are based on degree of parental control and responsiveness shown during child feeding (10). These styles influence CFP by establishing the quantity, quality, and frequency of foods offered to infants.…”

Precision Food Parenting: A Proposed Conceptual Model and Research Agenda

“…The indulgent feeding style has been consistently associated with higher child BMIz across multiple studies [28]. In addition, indulgent feeding style at 4-5 years of age was positively related to child BMIz at 7-9 years; and BMIz at 4-5 positively predicted indulgent feeding style and negatively predicted authoritarian feeding style at 7-9 years [27,28]. As would be expected, an authoritative parenting style involved a higher frequency of effective structure and responsive parenting practices [29].…”

“…Crossing the two parenting style dimensions (demandingness and responsiveness) results in four categories: authoritative (high demandingness and responsiveness), authoritarian (high demandingness, low responsiveness), indulgent/permissive (low demandingness, high responsiveness) and uninvolved (low demandingness and responsiveness). Feeding style is a similar construct, but more specifically relates parenting style to a meal context [27], i.e., demandingness, structure or control in regard to eating or not eating specific foods or meals, and responsiveness to the child's response to food acceptance and satiety. As would be expected, children of permissive and uninvolved parents had the lowest intake of nutrient rich foods [26].…”

Eating behavior and nutrition characteristics of preschool children

“…У цей період у дітей формується харчова поведінка і регуля ція апетиту, дозріває шлунково кишковий тракт. Нераціональне, неадаптоване до потреб дітей цього вікового періоду харчування нерід ко призводить до хронічного дефіциту есен ціальних нутрієнтів, що, своєю чергою, може негативно впливати на інтелектуальний розви ток, стійкість до несприятливих факторів зов нішнього середовища та розвиток функціо нальних порушень шлунково кишкового трак ту [5,6]. У МКХ 10 розлади харчової поведінки кодуються в межах F50-F59: F50 -розлади харчової поведінки; F50.0 -нервова анорексія; F50.1 -атипова нервова анорексія; F50.2нервова булімія; F50.3 -атипова нервова булі мія; F50.4 -переїдання, пов'язане з іншими психогенними порушеннями; F50.5 -блюван ня, асоційоване з іншими психогенними розла дами; F50.8 -інші розлади харчової поведінки; F50.9 -розлади харчової поведінки не уточне ні.…”