title: Maternal Eating and Physical Activity Strategies and their Relation with Children's Nutritional Status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to describe the maternal eating and physical activity strategies (monitoring, discipline, control, limits and reinforcement) [MEES]; to determine the relation between MEES and the child's nutritional status [body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage (BFP)]; to verify whether the MEES differ according to the child's nutritional status.
  
  
  METHODS
  participants were 558 mothers and children (3 to 11 years of age) who studied at public schools. The Parental Strategies for Eating and Activity Scale (PEAS) was applied and the child's weight, height and BFP were measured. For analysis purposes, descriptive statistics were obtained, using multiple linear regression and the Kruskal-Wallis test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the highest mean score was found for reinforcement (62.72) and the lowest for control (50.07). Discipline, control and limits explained 12% of the BMI, while discipline and control explained 6% of the BFP. Greater control is found for obese children (χ²=38.36, p=0.001) and greater reinforcement for underweight children (χ²=7.19, p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the mothers exert greater control (pressure to eat) over obese children and greater recognition (congratulating due to healthy eating) in underweight children. Modifications in parental strategies are recommended with a view to strengthening healthy eating and physical activity habits.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Flores-Peña
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rosario Edith
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Félix
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Velia Margarita
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Cárdenas-Villarreal
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
authors.forename: Hermelinda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ávila-Alpirez
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Corina Mariela
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Alba-Alba
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Roandy Gaspar
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Hernández-Carranco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004435:Eating; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D055815:Young Adult