Perceived parenting style, body dissatisfaction and self-esteem: Associations with overweight and obesity in young children

Abstract

Aim: To determine whether perceived parenting style (demandingness and responsiveness) moderates the relationship between child overweight/obesity and psychological outcomes of self-esteem and body image in children. Methods: Participants were children aged 7—11 years (N = 158) and their primary caregivers, recruited from primary schools across South Australia. Children completed measures of parenting style, self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction, and had their weight and height objectively measured. Parents reported on their education. Regression analyses were conducted to investigate associations between parenting style dimensions of demandingness and responsiveness and child outcomes of weight status, self-esteem and body dissatisfaction, controlling for covariates of child gender, child age and parental education. Results: Perceived parenting did not differ significantly according to weight status of the child. Self-esteem was significantly lower and body dissatisfaction was significantly higher in children who were overweight or obese, compared to their non-overweight counterparts. Perceived parental responsiveness was positively associated with child self-esteem, but parenting was not associated with child body dissatisfaction. Child weight and parenting styles were not found to interact in their association with child self-esteem or body dissatisfaction. Conclusions: Overweight and obesity was associated with higher body dissatisfaction and lower self-esteem in a young, non-treatment-seeking sample. Child-perceived responsive parenting, v i POSTER Abstracts