Association of parental eating styles and markers of food intake and nutritional status of Brazilian children

Abstract

We analysed the relationships between maternal feeding styles and children’s eating and nutritional factors. A cross-sectional study was developed with 416 mothers linked to 130 public higher education institutions in all Brazilian states and their children aged 18 months to six years. A semi-structured online questionnaire was applied using the Google Forms tool, with questions about sociodemographic conditions, food consumption and anthropometry of the children. The children’s food consumption was assessed based on the Food Consumption Markers Form (SISVAN) for the age groups up to 24 months (n = 84) and over 24 months (n = 332), and the parental style in feeding, based on the Parental Feeding Styles Questionnaire (QEPA). The assessment of the child’s nutritional status was based on the weight and height data reported by the mother. The body mass index/age (BMI/Age) was calculated and classified into age-specific WHO curves. Descriptive analysis and univariate analyses were performed, in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 26.0) programs (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). To test the association between categorical variables, the Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was used, and multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the independent association between the variables of interest, with an estimated odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Statistical significance was adopted at 5%. Children under 24 months of age with authoritative mothers were 8.7 times more likely to consume ultra-processed foods and 5.3 times less likely to consume foods rich in vitamin A than those with indulgent mothers. Children over 24 months old with authoritative mothers were 2.5 times more likely to eat meals while watching television, 2.0 times more likely to consume sandwich cookies, candies and sweets, and 2.3 times less likely to have at least the three main meals of a day, compared to those with indulgent mothers. The chances of overweight children being born to authoritative mothers were two times greater compared to underweight children. Higher scores in the demandingness domain among responsive mothers increased the odds ratios of children eating unhealthy foods, using screens during meals, and proved to be a protective factor against low child weight.