title: Associations of general parenting and parent-child relationship with pediatric obesity: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the meta-analysis is to integrate available results on associations of general parenting (not specific to feeding and activity promotion) and parent-child relations with child weight status, eating, and physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Searching in electronic databases and cross-referencing identified 156 empirical studies. Random-effects meta-analysis was computed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive parent-child relationship and higher levels of parental responsiveness were associated with lower weight, healthier eating, and more physical activity of the child. Parental demandingness, overprotection, psychological control, inconsistency, and parenting styles showed associations with some of the assessed outcome variables. Most effect sizes were small and varied by study characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The small effects do not support making general parenting styles, parental demandingness, responsiveness, and the quality of the parent-child relationship a main target of preventing and treating obesity. Reducing parental inconsistency may be a better target if available results are replicated in future studies.
authors.affiliation: PhD, Department of Psychology, Philipps University, Gutenbergstr. 18, D-35032 Marburg, Germany. pinquart@staff.uni-marburg.de.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pinquart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: BMI; obesity; overweight; parenting; parent–child relationship