title: Maternal correlates of preschool child eating behaviours and body mass index: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate maternal child feeding practices, maternal parenting characteristics and mother-child interactions as cross-sectional predictors of child eating and/or weight within the one sample. Maternal pressure for her child to eat was a significant positive correlate of fussiness and a negative correlate of enjoyment. Maternal parenting warmth was associated negatively with child BMIz, while mother-child dysfunctional interaction was associated positively with child BMIz. Our findings suggest that childhood obesity research may be better informed by evaluating not just what mothers do (feeding practices) but also how they parent (parenting behaviours and interactions with their child). Longitudinal studies are needed to identify causal influences of parenting on preschool child eating and weight.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, NSW.
authors.forename: Skye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McPhie
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Skouteris
authors.forename: Marita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.forename: Lina A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ricciardelli
authors.forename: Jeannette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milgrom
authors.forename: Louise A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Baur
authors.forename: Nazan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aksan
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dell'aquila
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting