More controlling child-feeding practices are found among parents of boys with an average body mass index compared with parents of boys with a high body mass index.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if differences existed in mothers' and fathers' perceptions of their sons' weight, controlling child-feeding practices (ie, restriction, monitoring, and pressure to eat), and parenting styles (ie, authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive) by their sons' body mass index (BMI).


METHODS
One person (L.S.B.) interviewed mothers and boys using validated questionnaires and measured boys' weight and height; fathers completed questionnaires independently.


METHODS
Subjects were white, preadolescent boys and their parents. Boys were grouped by their BMI into an average BMI group (n=25; BMI percentile between 33rd and 68th) and a high BMI group (n=24; BMI percentile > or = 85th).


METHODS
Multivariate analyses of variance and analyses of variance.


RESULTS
Mothers and fathers of boys with a high BMI saw their sons as more overweight (mothers P=.03, fathers P=.01), were more concerned about their sons' weight (P<.0001, P=.004), and used pressure to eat with their sons less often than mothers and fathers of boys with an average BMI (P<.0001, P<.0001). In addition, fathers of boys with a high BMI monitored their sons' eating less often than fathers of boys with an average BMI (P=.006). No differences were found in parenting by boys' BMI groups for either mothers or fathers.


CONCLUSIONS
More controlling child-feeding practices were found among mothers (pressure to eat) and fathers (pressure to eat and monitoring) of boys with an average BMI compared with parents of boys with a high BMI. A better understanding of the relationships between feeding practices and boys' weight is necessary. However, longitudinal research is needed to provide evidence of causal association.
Brann
Lynn S
LS
Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management, Syracuse University, NY 13244-1250, USA. lbrann@syr.edu
Skinner
Jean D
JD
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires