Parenting Stress, Maternal Feeding Styles and Preschooler’s Body Mass Index

Abstract

ObjectivesTo analyze the relationship between parenting stress and maternal child feeding styles with preschooler’s body mass index. MethodsA total of 344 mother-child dyads from ten public kindergartens from Monterrey Nuevo Leon, Mexico; participated in the study. Mothers answered 1) The Parental Stress Scale to identified parenting stress, and) The Caregiver Feeding Style Questionnaire was used to identify the mother’s feeding style. Child’s weight and height were measured. Body Mass Index was obtained and classify according to World Health Organization. Results51.7 (n = 178) mothers reported high parenting stress. The authoritarian feeding style was more frequent in mothers with high parenting stress 33.1 (n = 59), while mothers with low parenting stress presented an indulgent feeding style (38.6%, n = 64). Mothers with an indulgent style had children with a high BMI. Maternal factors such as styles and preschool BMI were identified as predictors of parenting stress, variance explained 7.3%. ConclusionsHigh maternal parenting stress is related to authoritarian feeding style. A style has been considered a predictor of childhood overweight-obesity. It is recommended to continue studying those maternal factors that potentiate the risk of overweight-obesity in childhood, as well as interventions aimed at reducing parenting stress and the use of healthier feeding styles. Funding Sources….