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The relationship between acculturation and infant feeding styles in a Latino population
Author(s) -
Dancel Liz D.,
Perrin Eliana,
Yin Shonna H.,
Sanders Lee,
Delamater Alan,
Perreira Krista M.,
Bronaugh Andrea B.,
Eden Svetlana,
Shintani Ayumi,
Rothman Russell L.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.20986
Subject(s) - acculturation , medicine , ethnic group , demography , population , obesity , post hoc analysis , style (visual arts) , infant feeding , pediatrics , environmental health , archaeology , sociology , anthropology , history , breast feeding
Objective To assess the relationship between parental acculturation and infant feeding style in a sample of Latino parents. Methods A post hoc analysis was performed using data from an ongoing four‐site randomized controlled trial to promote early childhood obesity prevention. Cross‐sectional data of parent–child dyads at the 12‐month well‐child visit who self‐reported their Latino ethnicity were analyzed. The Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH) and a subset of the Infant Feeding Style Questionnaire (IFSQ) that assessed four primary feeding styles were administered. SASH level (low vs. high) with each feeding style was compared by analyses. Results Complete SASH data were available for 398 of 431 Latino dyads. Median SASH score was 1.8 (IQR 1.4‐2.7); 82% of participants had low acculturation (score < 3). Of the nine outcome variables, four were significantly associated with SASH: “Laissez‐Faire/attention” (AOR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.06‐5.13; P = 0.004), “Laissez‐Faire/diet quality” (AOR: 3.9; 95% CI: 1.7‐8.75; P = 0.005), “Pressuring as soothing” (AOR: 3.6; 95% CI:1.63‐8.05; P = 0.007), and “Restrictive/diet quality” (AOR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.19‐0.94; P = 0.031). Conclusions Latino parents with lower acculturation were more likely than those with higher acculturation to endorse feeding styles that are associated with child obesity. Further research is needed to determine why acculturation and feeding style relate.