Reinforcement as a Parenting Strategy Related to Children Obesogenic Behaviors Is Associated to Mothers’ but not Fathers’ Education Level among Health Workshop Participants in Mexico City

Abstract

Family environment and parental strategies can shape their children eating and health behaviors. However, little has been documented about the parenting strategies in Mexico, particularly related to food intake, physical activity and sedentary behaviors in the home.ObjectiveTo asses parenting strategies in parents and caregivers and its relationship to socioeconomic factors.MethodsWe did a cross‐sectional survey of 316 parents and caregivers who were attending workshops held by community health workers in poor urban areas in Mexico City with a previously validated, self‐administered questionnaire. We analyzed associations between parenting styles and socioeconomic factors with logistic regression.ResultsMost participants were mothers (71.8%), grandparents (13.6%) and uncles/aunts (4.4%). Mean ± SD age was 40.36±11.87 years and middle school was the most frequent schooling achieved by both fathers (34.2%) and mothers (41.8%). Mean ± SD number of family members living in the same household was 4.79±2.13 persons, including parents, children and usually other relatives. Limiting, monitoring and reinforcement were the most frequent parenting strategies used by the parents/caregivers. Control and discipline strategies are less used. We found a significant positive association with the used of Reinforcement and schooling of mothers (p=0.048) that explains only 5% of these strategy.ConclusionsMothers' schooling is a determinant in the use of reinforcement, which is an important positive strategy for influencing food intake, physical activity and sedentary behaviors in children. Negative strategies for influencing these behaviors are not frequently used. Parenting strategies can provide a framework for designing interventions for the prevention of obesity related behaviors at home level.Support or Funding InformationFundación SERTULL AC