Parental Feeding Research Articles

Parental Feeding Styles and Risk of a New Carious Lesion in Preschool Children: A Longitudinal Study.

Parents may influence children's intake of sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages through their feeding styles. This study prospectively assessed the association between parental feeding styles and caries risk in preschool children. In November and December 2021, we recruited 1181 preschool children aged 3-4 years in Guangzhou, China, and then conducted a follow-up visit after 15 months. The children were examined for dental caries, and their parents answered the Chinese version of the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. At baseline, 'control over eating' was found to be negatively associated with early childhood caries (OR = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.44, 0.83). After 15 months, no significant association between baseline parental feeding styles and the risk of a new carious lesion was found. When considering changes in parental feeding styles between the baseline and the follow-up visit, we found children with increasing scores on 'instrumental feeding' during the 15 months had a higher risk of a new carious lesion (OR = 1.91, 95%CI = 1.18, 3.12). However, children with always-intermediate scores (OR = 0.51, 95%CI = 0.30, 0.86), always-high scores (OR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.23, 0.77), or increasing scores (OR = 0.50, 95%CI = 0.31, 0.83) on 'control over eating' had a lower risk of a new carious lesion. Our study highlighted the influence of parental feeding styles on caries risk in preschool children.

Feeding difficulties in pre-schoolers: associations with parental feeding practices

Objective: investigate the factors associated with eating difficulties among preschoolers. Methods: this cross-sectional study was attended by 730 parents of children, aged 4 to 6 years, enrolled at public schools and private. Feeding difficulty was evaluated based on the parents' reports, which included responses to questionnaire items about their parental feeding practices and their children's eating behavior. Socio-demographic information, birth conditions, food history and anthropometric data also were collected. Logistic regression was performed to analyze the data. Results: the prevalence of feeding difficulty reported by parents was 34.1%. The factors associated with feeding difficulty included lower BMI-for-age z-scores, parental history of feeding difficulty, a higher frequency of repeated exposure to new foods, use of food as a reward, children control over feeding, and less guidance on healthy eating. Conclusion: Feeding difficulty is a frequent complaint among parents of preschoolers and this behavior is strongly associated with parental feeding practices.

Emotional eating following a laboratory mood induction: The interaction between parental feeding practices and child temperament

Children who emotionally eat (EE) tend to consume palatable foods that are high in sugar and fat. How EE develops remains unclear, but children’s temperament and parental feeding practices may interact to shape child EE. To date, no research has explored these interaction effects on EE experimentally. Furthermore, most research has explored EE in response to generic ‘negative’ mood rather than specific negative emotions, such as boredom, which has never been explored in this context. This study aimed to explore interactions between induced mood condition (sadness, boredom, control), parent-reported non-responsive feeding practices and parent-reported child temperament (negative affect, surgency, effortful control) in predicting kilocalories consumed by children aged 4–5-years in a laboratory setting. Using three-way ANOVA, the interactions between mood state, parental feeding practice and child temperament were assessed. Results indicated that children who experienced boredom consumed significantly more total kilocalories than children in the control condition. Additionally, children with high negative affect who also had parents who reported high use of food for emotion regulation consumed significantly more kilocalories from sweet food when experiencing boredom compared to control condition, and children with high negative affect who also had parents who reported low use of food as a reward consumed significantly more kilocalories from sweet food when experiencing boredom compared to control condition. These findings suggest that feelings of boredom differentially predict children’s snack food intake, and that child negative affect and non-responsive feeding practices play an important role in the expression of this relationship.

High-fat diet impairs glucose homeostasis by increased p16 beta-cell expression and alters glucose homeostasis of the progeny in a parental-sex dependent manner.

Obesity consists in the accumulation of adipose tissue accompanied by low grade chronic inflammation and is considered a pandemic disease. Recent studies have observed that obesity affects females and males in a sex-dependent manner. In addition, several works have demonstrated that parental obesity increases the risk to develop obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and reproductive disorders. Considering that intergenerational effects of obesity may occur in a sex-dependent manner, we studied male Wistar rat progeny (F1) obtained from mothers or fathers (F0) fed on a high-fat diet (HFD). Five-week-old female and male Wistar rats were fed on a HFD (with 60% of calories provided by fat) for 18 weeks (F0). At the end of the treatment, animals were mated with young rats to obtain their progeny (F1). After weaning, F1 animals were fed on standard chow until 18 weeks of age. Body weight gain, fasting plasma glucose, insulin and leptin levels, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and adiposity were evaluated. In addition, beta-cell expression of nuclear p16 was assessed by immunofluorescence. HFD altered plasma fasting glucose, insulin and leptin levels, glucose tolerance, adiposity, and beta-cell expression of p16 in F0 rats. Particularly, HFD showed sexual dimorphic effects on body weight gain and insulin sensitivity. Moreover, we observed that parental HFD feeding exerts parental-sex-specific metabolic impairment in the male progeny. Finally, parental metabolic dysfunction could be in part attributed to the increased beta-cell expression of p16; other mechanisms could be involved in the offspring glucose homeostasis.

Identifying an avid eating profile in childhood: Associations with temperament, feeding practices and food insecurity

This study aimed to identify distinct eating behaviour profiles in young children and examine how other key predictors of children's eating behaviour, including child temperament, the experience of food insecurity, or parental feeding practices, may vary by identified profiles. An online survey was conducted with 995 parents/carers living in England and Wales (N = 995, Mage = 35.4 years, 80% female, 88% White). Participants reported on their child's eating behaviour using the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire and completed measures of child temperament, household food security and parental feeding practices. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was carried out to identify distinct eating profiles amongst the children (36–72 months, Mage = 48.8 months, 52% female). Four eating profiles emerged from the sample of children: (a) avid eating, (b) avoidant eating, (c) happy eating, and (d) typical eating. Avid eating (21.9% of children) was characterised by higher levels of food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, and emotional over-eating in combination with lower satiety responsiveness, slowness in eating and food fussiness. Children with an avid eating profile were reported to be more surgent and experienced greater food insecurity than all other eating profiles. Parents of children belonging to the avid eating profile showed significantly greater use of food for emotional regulation, varied and balanced food provision, restriction of food for health, and restriction of food for weight feeding practices than the three other eating profiles.

Parents' Retrospectively Recalled Structured Feeding Practices Are Associated With Lower Current Disordered Eating and Mental Health Concerns in Their Young Adult Children: Findings in Parent-Child Dyads

Abstract: Parental feeding practices are linked to child disordered eating. Less research has examined these associations in young adult children, particularly college-aged, and studies examining relationships between parent feeding practices and mental health concerns are also limited. Examining these relationships in college students is important because higher education represents a period of marked development and maintenance of maladaptive eating behaviors and mental health concerns. A cross-sectional study with the inclusion of 64 parent-child (i.e., young adult) dyads examined relationships between retrospective parental feeding practices and current disordered eating and mental health concerns in their young adult children. Higher retrospective parental structured feeding practices were associated with lower young adult current disordered eating and mental health concerns. Collegiate health-promotion programs may consider college students' early food environments, particularly structured food environments, as factors that may be associated with adaptive eating behaviors and better mental health outcomes.

Retrospective Reports of Parental Feeding Practices and Current Eating Styles in Polish Adults.

The role of childhood food experiences (CFEs) in determining future eating behaviors remains unclear. The aim of the study was to examine the link between CFEs and selected eating styles (ESs), i.e., intuitive (IE), restrained (ResEat) and external (ExtEat) eating, among 708 Polish adults aged 18-65 (477 women and 231 men). CFEs were measured with the Adults' Memories of Feeding in Childhood questionnaire. Polish versions of the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 and Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire were used to assess ESs. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare ESs scores between those with lower and higher CFEs. In the total sample, "Restrictions" and "Pressure and Food Reward" parental feeding practices favored lower IE, while "Healthy Eating Guidance" and "Monitoring" practices predisposed higher levels of IE in adulthood. "Restrictions" were found to correlate with greater chances of ResEat, whereas "Healthy Eating Guidance" was linked with lower probability of ResEat. "Pressure and Food Reward" and "Monitoring" were associated with higher score for ExtEat. "Restrictions", "Child Control", "Monitoring" and "Healthy Eating Guidance" practices were differently linked to ESs in women and men. The findings suggest that education programs for parents should focus on the long-term consequences of feeding practices.

How Do Parental Feeding Knowledge and Practices Affect Chinese Children’s Weight Status? Findings from Multiple Waves of CHNS

How Do Parental Feeding Knowledge and Practices Affect Chinese Children’s Weight Status? Findings from Multiple Waves of CHNS

Efforts to Improve Health Cadres’ Knowledge about Maternal Education Concerning Parental Feeding as a Stunting Prevention

Stunting is a condition that results from chronic malnutrition during childhood in low- and middle-income countries. The national prevalence of stunting in children under 5 years is 9 million children out of 24.5 million children. Factors that contribute to stunting include poor feeding and sanitation practices. The purpose of this community service is to provide education to health cadres in the Jaya Mekar Health Center area, West Bandung, regarding parental feeding practices as an effort to prevent stunting. The community service method is to provide education to health cadres through parental feeding booklets. This community service was carried out for 1 day, 10-10-2022, with 26 RW represented by 36 cadres in the Jaya Mekar Public Health Center area, Bandung Barat. The benefits of Community Service are expected after the cadres know about parental feeding, then it becomes a cadre education strategy for mothers (community) about how to give good food for children. The result of this education increases the knowledge of cadres significantly (0.019; 0.001) before and after providing education about parental feeding, then it becomes a cadre education strategy for mothers about how to give good food to children. Recommendations are needed for further programs to monitor cadres in providing education to mothers.

Eating Behaviours, Oral Hygiene, and Caries in a Population of Spanish Children with Divorced Parents: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Dental caries are a public health problem that is influenced by dietary habits. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the feeding and hygiene habits that divorced parents exercise over their children compared to non-divorced parents, and how this may influence the rate of caries in their children. The data of participants (n = 174) with an average age of 12.17 ± 2.04 years were examined to assess the mean decayed/missing/filled teeth (DMFT) index, and they were asked questions about their oral hygiene habits. At the same time, their parents answered the parental feeding style questionnaire. A moderation analysis was conducted with family control of oral hygiene habit levels as an independent variable, decayed teeth as a dependent variable, and feeding control as a moderating variable. Results showed that divorced parents were found to have more problems in controlling their children's hygiene and dietary habits, have less control over their children's feeding, and make more use of instrumental feeding, which led to children of divorced parents having more caries. Despite the limitations linked to the cross-sectional design of the study and considering both the convenience sample and the impossibility of controlling for all aetiological factors linked to the development of caries, it can be concluded that children of divorced parents have an increased risk of tooth decay. However, parental controlled feeding interferes with the effect of family controlled oral hygiene habits on the decayed tooth, decreasing the rate of caries.

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect.

Parents' psychological stress during the perinatal and neonatal periods continues to increase in an environment of declining birthrates, aging populations, and shrinking family sizes. The increase in child abuse and neglect cases, most likely by inexperienced and insufficiently knowledgeable parents, necessitates education on childcare and intervention techniques in nursing and midwifery training. In particular, attachment formation early in life between mother and infant is crucial. To accurately teach sensitive and comprehensive information on intervention techniques for mother-child attachment formation, realistic videos, and educational materials are necessary. Although pseudoeducational materials are available, they might be limited in explaining complex realism, particularly to support breastfeeding that involves both parents and child and that encourages interaction between the two. In a previous study in a common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) model, we experimentally controlled infant feeding and nurturing through 24 h of constant sensing and collected 1 month of quantitative data on psychological indices that possibly translated to psychological development. Age-dependent dynamic visualization of these data by multivariate analyses inferred causal relationships between early parental feeding and psychobiological rhythm formation. In the same primate model, we identified a spontaneous case of breastfeeding failure in which the father inhibited his neonatal infant's feeding and the mother appeared to abandon nurturing, leading to clinically significant weight loss in the infant. Thus, we explored intervention techniques to promote mother-infant interaction. The mother was trained to allow the infant to spontaneously explore her breast. Initially, the mother refused to display the feeding pose potentially due to pain associated with breast engorgement. Massage was used to soften the breast and feeding was reintroduced. We hypothesize that activation of instinctive attachment formation mechanisms by encouraging spontaneity in each parent and child is the key to successful feeding intervention.

How Parental Feeding Practices Relate to Young People's Intuitive Eating: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations by Gender and Weight Concern

PurposeTo evaluate cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between controlling parental feeding practices in adolescence (i.e., restrictive feeding and pressure-to-eat [PE]) and intuitive eating (IE) in adolescence and emerging adulthood; and explore child gender and parental concern about child weight as moderators. MethodsThe sample included participants (N = 1,383) from the population-based EAT 2010–2018 study who provided data in adolescence (14.4 ± 2.0 years) and emerging adulthood (22.0 ± 2.0 years) and had at least one caregiver complete surveys in adolescence. Generalized estimating equations evaluated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between restrictive feeding and PE in adolescence and IE in adolescence and emerging adulthood. Interactions with gender and parental concern over child weight in adolescence were explored. ResultsRestrictive feeding was cross-sectionally associated with lower IE in adolescence (b = −0.04), though evidence of moderation by parental weight concern indicated this association was only observed in the context of low parental weight concern. Greater PE was associated with lower adolescent IE among boys but higher IE among girls. Longitudinally, the association between PE in adolescence and IE in emerging adulthood differed by parental weight concern; greater PE predicted higher emerging adult IE at high parental weight concern, but lower IE at low parental weight concern. DiscussionControlling feeding practices in adolescence displayed differential associations with child IE in adolescence and emerging adulthood based on child gender and parental concern over child weight. Notably, PE was associated with greater IE among adolescent girls but lower IE among boys. Results suggest that parental feeding is a valuable intervention target.

Parents' food choice for their preschool-aged children: A means-end investigation.

Despite the growing literature on the importance of parental feeding practices, the factors that influence how parents make decisions regarding the foods they offer to their young children are not fully understood. Means-end theory and its associated methodology known as laddering provide a useful framework for characterizing the relationships between the attributes of a choice option (e.g., a food item), the consequences (i.e., the benefits or costs/risks) associated with those attributes and the personal values (i.e., enduring beliefs) those consequences help reinforce. The present research uses this means-end perspective to enrich our understanding of how parents make food choices for their preschool-aged children. Interviews were conducted with parents (N = 33) of 3- to 5-year-old children to explore the factors underlying parents' decisions regarding the foods they recently offered, prefer to offer and avoid offering to their preschooler. The resulting data were transcribed, content analysed and summarized in a series of summary diagrams known as hierarchical value maps (HVMs). Study results indicate that although most parents reported trying to make food decisions because they want their child to be healthy, factors such as avoiding fights/battles and low perceived likelihood their child would eat a food may be barriers to offering certain foods. Taken together, these study findings enhance our understanding of the range of meanings underlying parents' food choice decisions and suggest opportunities for interventions to improve the quality of foods that parents offer to their children at home.

Longitudinal sleep multi-trajectories from age 1 to 5.5 years and their early correlates: results from the Étude Longitudinale Française depuis l'Enfance birth cohort study.

To identify sleep multi-trajectories in children from age 1 to 5.5 years and their early correlates. We collected early family, maternal, and child characteristics, including children's nighttime sleep duration (NSD) and daytime sleep duration (DSD), night waking (NW), and sleep-onset difficulties (SOD), by parental phone interviews at age 2 months and 1-, 2-, 3.5-, and 5.5 years. Group-based multi-trajectory modeling identified sleep multi-trajectory groups. Multinomial logistic regression assessed associations with early factors. We identified five distinct sleep multi-trajectory groups for NSD, DSD, NW, and SOD in 9273 included children. The "Good sleepers" (31.6%) and "Long sleepers" (31.0%) groups had low NW and SOD prevalence and shorter NSD but longer DSD in "Good sleepers" than in "Long sleepers." The "Good sleepers but few SOD" group (10.3%) had long NSD and DSD but a SOD peak at age 3.5 years; the "Improving NW and SOD" group (9.6%) showed short but rapidly increasing NSD to a plateau and high but decreasing NW and SOD; the "Persistent NW and SOD" group (17.5%) had persistent high NW and SOD. Maternal depression during pregnancy and sleep habits at age 1 (e.g. parental presence or feeding to fall asleep, sleeping at least part of the night away from own bed) were common risk factors associated with the most disordered sleep multi-trajectory groups. We identified distinct sleep multi-trajectory groups and early life-associated factors in preschoolers. Most of the factors associated with the most sleep-disordered multi-trajectory groups are likely modifiable and provide clues for early prevention interventions.

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH BODY WEIGHT STATUS AMONG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AGED 2-11 IN KUCHING DIVISION, SARAWAK

The high prevalence of overweight and obese among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) gains attention due to its substantial adverse health impacts. This study aimed to determine the associations between sociodemographic characteristics, parental feeding practices, child eating behaviour, and dietary intake with the body weight status of ASD children in Kuching Division, Sarawak. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 124 ASD children (83.9% boys and 16.1% girls) aged 2-11 years, together with their caregivers. The weight and height of ASD children were taken, and body mass index-for-age z-score (BAZ) was computed using AnthroPlus software. Child feeding practices, eating behaviour, and dietary intake were assessed through interviews, with the aid of a questionnaire. Multiple binary logistic regression was used in data analysis. The prevalence of underweight, risk-of-overweight, overweight, and obese ASD children was 3.2% (3.8% boys; 0% girls), 4.8% (2.9% boys; 15.0% girls), 16.9% (17.3% boys; 15.0% girls), and 20.2% (23.1% boys; 5.0 % girls), respectively. The multiple binary logistic regression revealed that the caregivers with high perceived child weight (AOR 31.313, 95% CI=6.127-47.218), high concern towards child weight (AOR 1.774, 95% CI=1.112-2.829), and high sodium intakes (AOR 3.747, 95% CI= 1.515-9.269) were significantly associated with increased risk of overweight or obesity, explaining 37.2% of the variation in body weight status. It is important to prioritise the perspective of caregivers’ feeding practices especially the caregivers with high perceived child weight and concerned child’s weight as well as sodium level of the ASD children while planning for obesity intervention programmes.

Parental Dieting and Correlation with Disordered Eating Behaviours in Adolescents: A Narrative Review

Adolescent eating disorders and disordered eating behaviours appear to be a growing public health concern. The aetiology of these conditions is complex, as many different factors contribute to their development. Among them, family factors such as parenting styles and comments regarding weight coming from family members are considered critical and are extensively researched. However, the impact of parental dieting has received less attention. A literature review was conducted in order to examine the relationship between parental engagement in weight-reduction dieting and their adolescent offspring’s disordered eating behaviours. The review was conducted in three databases (PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar) regarding the period between January 2000 and May 2023. The initial search retrieved 339 abstracts, and 113 full reports were evaluated for eligibility. Six studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the final literature review. A number of studies indicated that adolescents whose parents were engaged in dieting in order to lose weight are more likely to showcase disordered eating behaviours. However, research regarding this relationship is very scarce. More studies on the link between parental eating and dieting habits and the risk of disordered eating in adolescents are required. Moreover, parents should be informed regarding the possible risks when they choose to follow weight-loss diets and the importance of adopting healthy eating and weight-control habits for the whole family.

Parental feeding practices as a response to child appetitive traits in toddlerhood and early childhood: a discordant twin analysis of the Gemini cohort.

Parental feeding practices as a response to child appetitive traits in toddlerhood and early childhood: a discordant twin analysis of the Gemini cohort.

A qualitative inquiry of parents of extremely picky eaters: Experiences, strategies and future directions

Background/aimPicky eating is a common childhood phenomenon in younger children, impacting family relationships and mealtimes. Limited qualitative studies have explored parents’ experiences of parenting an extremely picky eater. This study aimed to address this gap. MethodsThis exploratory qualitative research design included participants who were Australian-based parents (n = 10) of children aged 2–6 years with a minimum picky eating score of 3.33, indicating extreme picky eating, on the Food Fussiness subscale of the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ). Parents were interviewed online via Zoom using semi-structured interviews focused on their experiences of having a child who is a picky eater. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. ResultsFive themes were identified: 1The picky eating journey for parents. 2Picky eating impacts families and mealtimes. 3Parents have attempted multiple strategies to manage picky eating. 4Emotions associated with parenting an extremely picky eater. 5Parents of extremely picky eaters have a positive outlook for the future. ConclusionThis qualitative study demonstrates that parents' experiences of parenting an extremely picky eater are varied. Parents desire health professionals who listen to their concerns and provide evidence-based knowledge around parent feeding practices to positively impact picky eating.

Validation of the Scale on Parental Feeding Behaviors (ECOPAL) for Caregivers of Mexican Children.

Parental feeding practices can be crucial to preventing childhood obesity. This study aimed to validate a self-applicable instrument for evaluating the diverse parental feeding behaviors of Mexican caregivers based on the theoretical constructs of coercive control, structure, and autonomy support. The scale's content validity achieved significant values when assessed by expert judges, with moderate intensity in congruence (Kendall's W = 0.462; p = 0.000) and clarity (Kendall's W = 0.369; p = 0.001). The participants were 1185 Mexican adults (32.7 ± 7.6 years of age, 97% women, and 90% mothers) responsible for the main meal of at least one child (4.8 ± 3 years old). The data were subdivided randomly for an exploratory factor analysis (n = 581) and a confirmatory factorial analysis (n = 604). The first analysis grouped the items into 11 factors, with an accumulated variance of 63.9%. In the confirmatory analysis, a 10-factor model showed a better fit (CMIN = 1531.5, p < 0.001, CMIN/df = 2.20, RSEA = 0.045, CFI = 0.92, TLI, 0.91, and NFI = 0.87). The factors in this model were (1) the disposition of non-recommended foods, (2) nutritional education, (3) pressure to eat, (4) praise for healthy eating, (5) monitoring of consumption, (6) structured offer of fruits and vegetables, (7) consumption conditioning, (8) overt restriction, (9) guided choices, and (10) covert restriction. The Cronbach's alpha value was 0.816. Therefore, this scale presents good psychometric properties with which to evaluate the frequency of child caregivers' feeding behaviors in the context of ten different feeding practices in Mexico's urban areas and contributes to the knowledge of current practices in the Mexican population. It also evaluates changes resulting from future interventions that promote eating practices that favor the formation of healthy eating habits.

Parent Feeding Prompts, Food Fussiness, and Dietary Quality

Parent Feeding Prompts, Food Fussiness, and Dietary Quality