Parenting Styles, Feeding Styles, Feeding Practices, and Weight Status in 4–12 Year-Old Children: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Childhood is a critical period in the development of obesity. Eating patterns established early in life track into later life. Therefore, parental approaches to feeding in their general parenting style, feeding styles, and specific feeding practices will have a profound impact on how children eat and grow. A systematic research review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted to identify, discuss and integrate recent research investigating the relationship between parenting styles, feeding styles, feeding practices, and body mass index (BMI) in children. Medline (Ovid), PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Food Science and Technology Abstracts were systematically searched using sensitive search strategies. Studies were limited to papers published in English between 2010 and February 2015 with participants aged 4–12 years old with outcomes including obesity, change in weight, or BMI. The search yielded 31 relevant quantitative peer-reviewed papers meeting all inclusion criteria: seven longitudinal, 23 cross-sectional, one randomized control trial. Associations between parenting style and child BMI were strongest and most consistent within the longitudinal studies. Uninvolved, indulgent or highly protective parenting was associated with higher child BMI, whereas authoritative parenting was associated with a healthy BMI. Similarly for feeding styles, indulgent feeding was consistently associated with risk of obesity within cross-sectional studies. Specific feeding practices such as restriction and pressure to eat were linked to BMI, especially within cross-sectional studies. Where child traits were measured, the feeding practice appeared to be responsive to the child, therefore restriction was applied to children with a high BMI and pressure to eat applied to children with a lower BMI. Behaviors and styles that are specific to the feeding context are consistently associated with child BMI. However, since obesity emerges over time, it is through longitudinal, carefully measured (through questionnaire and observation) studies which take account of child appetite and temperament that the association between parenting style, feeding style, specific feeding practices, and child obesity will be understood.

Role of food preoccupation and current dieting in the associations of parental feeding practices to emotional eating in young adults: A moderated mediation study

“…Feeding practices that reflect coercive control, such as pressuring children to eat, restricting children's access and consumption of unhealthy foods, and using food to influence children's behaviors or regulate their emotions, appear especially detrimental to the development of healthy eating patterns and weight (Lansigan, Emond, & Gilbert-Diamond, 2015;Shloim, Edelson, Martin, & Hetherington, 2015;Vaughn et al, 2016;Ventura & Birch, 2008). Cross-sectional and experimental studies have established associations between these feeding practices and increased child preference for restricted foods, heightened responsiveness to the presence of palatable foods, and eating beyond satiety when restricted foods are made available (Galloway, Fiorito, Francis, & Birch, 2006;Jansen et al, 2012).…”

Influence of parents' behavior during the meal and on overweight in childhood

“…The family has a determinant role during the learning process of the alimentation of the children, so that the life habits of the parents, the parenting styles and their interaction with the children are significant for the formation of the infant's eating habits. 5,12,20,21 In the analysis of food consumption, almost all children had main meals daily with the family at home. This finding is important considering that the family has a set of values, beliefs, knowledge and eating habits that may constitute a protective or risk factor for health.…”

“…This result is in agreement with the international systematic review study that showed the relationship between parental style and child BMI. 20 This picture may be due to the current phenomenon of nutritional transition experienced in society, marked by the hypercaloric diet, monotonous, with foods with a high concentration of sugars, fats and salt. 27 In the domain "consumption of treats", it was observed that a relevant part of the parents of the children studied consume soft drinks and sweets daily.…”

The impact of front-of-pack marketing attributes versus nutrition and health information on parents' food choices

“…3 the development of eating behaviors, attitudes towards eating and food preferences (Benton, 2004;Birch & Davison, 2001;Johnson, 2016;Peters, Sinn, Campell & Lynch, 2012;Shloim, Edelson, Martin & Hetherington, 2015;Steinsbekk, Belsky, & Wichstrøm, 2016;Syrad, Johnson, Wardle & Llewellyn, 2016) .…”