title: Maternal Feeding Styles and Food Parenting Practices as Predictors of Longitudinal Changes in Weight Status in Hispanic Preschoolers from Low-Income Families.
abstract: Objective. The aim was to investigate the influence of feeding styles and food parenting practices on low-income children's weight status over time. Method. Participants were 129 Latina parents and their Head Start children participating in a longitudinal study. Children were assessed at baseline (4 to 5 years old) and again eighteen months later. At each time point, parents completed questionnaires and height and weight measures were taken on the child. Results. The indulgent feeding style (parent-report at baseline) was associated with increased child BMI z-score eighteen months later compared to other feeding styles. Authoritative, authoritarian, and uninvolved feeding styles were not significantly associated with increased child BMI z-score. Child BMI z-score at Time 1 (strongest) and maternal acculturation were positive predictors of child BMI z-score at Time 2. Maternal use of restriction positively predicted and maternal monitoring negatively predicted Time 2 BMI z-score, but only when accounting for feeding styles. Conclusion. This is the first study to investigate the impact of feeding styles on child weight status over time. Results suggest that indulgent feeding predicts later increases in children's weight status. The interplay between feeding styles and food parenting practices in influencing child weight status needs to be further explored.
authors.affiliation: USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Sheryl O
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0331-2494
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: Washington State University, 513 Johnson Tower, P.O. Box 644852, Pullman, WA 99164-4852, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6071-1849
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Teresia M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.affiliation: Temple University, 1801 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Orlet Fisher
authors.affiliation: USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Tzu-An
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4312-7258
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011203:Poverty; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires