Associations between infant and maternal characteristics measured at child age 5 months and maternal feeding styles and practices up to child age two years

Facilitating positive feeding practices from infancy may be an important strategy to prevent childhood overweight and obesity. Since the feeding situation early in life constitutes a bidirectional relationship, it is important to understand the impact of both maternal and infant characteristics on maternal feeding practices to intervene in a customized and tailored way. Few studies have concurrently examined associations between maternal and infant characteristics in relation to early maternal feeding practices. The aim of the present study was to explore potential associations between infant and maternal characteristics measured at child age five months, and maternal feeding styles and practices during the child’s first two years. Cross-sectional data from a Norwegian randomized controlled trial in which participants responded to questionnaires at child age 5 months (n = 474), 12 months (n = 293) and 24 months (n = 185) were used to explore potential associations. All maternal and child predictor variables were collected at child age five months. Maternal feeding styles and practices were mapped using subscales from the Infant Feeding Questionnaire at child age 5 and 12 months and the Child Feeding Questionnaire and the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire at child age 24 months. The subscale-scores were split into roughly equal tertiles, and the upper or lower tertile for the outcome of interest were used to create binary outcome variables. Multivariable binary logistic regression models were conducted for each outcome. We found that maternal education and mental health symptoms as well as infant weight, temperament and feeding mode were associated with maternal feeding styles and practices over time. Our findings indicate that risk factors which may have long-term implications for child weight and health outcomes can be identified early. Larger, population-based studies with a longitudinal design are needed to further explore these pathways.

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

Background: Complementary feeding practices and corresponding parental feeding styles influence nutritional status in later stages of childhood. Findings on the association of these variables with infant growth remain inconsistent; in Mexico, a research gap exists in this area.Research Aims: (1) To characterize parental feeding styles and complementary feeding practices, and (2) to evaluate the association of parental feeding styles with complementary feeding practices and infant growth at 6 and 9 months of age.Methods: Data were collected from a prospective Mexican birth cohort. Parental feeding styles, complementary feeding practices, and anthropometric data from 263 to 234 mother-child pairs (infants of 6 and 9 months of age, respectively) were analyzed. Logistic and linear regression models were used to determine the associations between variables.Results: The predominant parental feeding style was the “responsive style” (90%). Only 43.7 and 8.1% of 6- and 9-month-old infants, had adequate complementary feeding practices, respectively. At 6 months, mothers who were responsive to satiety signals had 11% lesser possibilities (OR = 0.89, 95% CI [0.80, 0.98]) of their infant having inadequate complementary feeding practices than their counterparts and “pressuring to finish” and “pressuring to eat cereal” sub-constructs were associated with lower weight for length and body mass index Z-scores (p = 0.02).Conclusions: A high proportion of infants (>40%) did not meet international recommendations. The “pressuring” parental feeding style sub-constructs were associated with growth indicators in 6-month old infants. This emphasizes the importance of promoting parental responsiveness to infant appetite and satiety signals to achieving adequate complementary feeding practices.

Depressive symptoms, maternal feeding styles, and preschool child’s body weight

Introduction. Depressive symptoms (DS) can impact maternal child feeding styles (MCFS), and child’s body weight. Objective. 1. Verify if DS are different depending if the child has, or not, overweight-obesity (OW-OB); 2. Identify the MCFS based on the fact that the child has, or not, OW-OB; 3. Verify it DS are different according to MCFS; 4. Identify DS’s predictors. Method. Correlational cross-sectional study. The participants were 259 dyads (mother- preschool child) residents in Mexico’ Northeast. Mothers answered the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Revised, and the Caregiver Feeding Styles Questionnaire. Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, Kruskall-Wallis H, and multiple linear regression analysis were performed. Results. Twelve point eight percent of the mothers (n = 33) had DS, 35.5% (n = 92) authoritarian MCFS. No significant difference was identified between DS and MCFS according to the child’s OW-OB or lack thereof (U = 5726.0, p #cer# .05 and X2 = .078, gl = 3, p #cer# .05). A significant positive correlation was found between DS and MCFS demandingness (rs = .208, p = .001). The authoritarian MCFS had the highest DS mean (H = 10.70, gl = 3, p #abr# .05). The demandingness predicts the DS (X2 = 826.445, gl = 1, p = .001). Discussion and conclusion. Authoritarian MCFS predominated, DS were higher in mothers with authoritarian MCFS; demandingness predicts DS. It is recommended to promote authoritarian MCFS which favors the development of healthy eating habits.

Assessing Parental Preferences Regarding a Plant-Based Game for Educating Children about More Sustainable and Healthier Diets

Environmental damage or health concerns related to diet are some alarming consequences of our behaviour in the near future. Consumers can make a difference depending on their eating behaviour and conscientiousness about minimizing environmental damage. One way to make children more aware of the environment and induce them to eat healthier food in the future might be educational games where they could learn the importance of the environment and the effect of the food they eat on their health status. In this study, we investigated parental behaviour when feeding their children and their willingness to pay for a game product with educational and eating functions. The sample consisted of 300 parents of children aged from 4 to 12. A hypothetical choice experiment has been used and a latent class model estimated the parents’ preferences for a plant-based product game carrying two attributes, namely, the price and narrative context of the game The results indicated that parents were willing to pay more for a product with a storybook related to healthy eating habits or recycling than one with no storybook. Moreover, two dominant feeding styles in households were found: indulgent parents and uninvolved parents. This alternative approach is oriented toward educating people from the early stages of their lives, creating a favourable environment for the development of preferences for healthier food.

The Moderating Effect of Parental Feeding Style in Relation to Familial Psychosocial Risk Factors and Childhood Obesity

Background: The prevalence of obesity in children is increasing in the world and it has become one of the major health problems. Parents are the first people who have the opportunity to shape child's eating experiences and habits, including food preferences, attitudes, and eating patterns. This study was conducted to determine the moderating role of parental feeding styles in relation to family psychosocial and social risk factors and childhood obesity in primary school children in 2018-2019 academic year in Shiraz, Iran. Methods: In this study, 298 children aged 6 to 11 years from primary schools in Shiraz were selected using multistage cluster sampling method. Their parents completed the stress-anxiety-depression scale tool and parenting feeding styles questionnaire. The data were analyzed using simultaneous multiple regression analysis, cluster analysis, and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The results showed that there was a statistically significant correlation between the identified risk factors and child's body mass index (BMI), as well as the variable effect of feeding styles on the child's BMI. The interaction of risk factors on feeding styles indicated that the effect of adjusting feeding styles on childhood obesity was significant due to risk factors. Conclusion: These findings support the moderating role of parental feeding styles in the development or prevention of childhood obesity.

Fussy Eating among Children and Their Parents: Associations in Parent-Child Dyads, in a Sample of Children with and without Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Parents are important agents in shaping children’s eating habits. However, the associations between children’s and parents’ eating behaviors are complex and may be convoluted for various reasons, such as parenting feeding styles, stressful mealtimes, and children’s neurodevelopmental disorders (ND), such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The purpose of this study was to analyze associations between parents and their children’s fussy eating, in a cross-sectional sample of children, with and without ND. Ninety-seven parents answered screening questionnaires prior to an intervention study. Associations were investigated using two-way ANOVAs and chi-square analyses. Overall, children with ND accepted fewer food items and consumed unhealthier foods more frequently than children without ND. Fussy eating parents had children who accepted fewer food items and consumed unhealthier foods more frequently than children whose parents were not fussy eaters. Interaction effects were not significant. A higher proportion of fussy eating parents, than non-fussy eating parents, had children who had difficulties with combined foods and hidden ingredients. The findings highlight the need for further investigation into the relationships between parents’ influence on their children’s eating behavior and food consumption, as well as possible reciprocal impacts.