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Modeling healthful eating: Links to parenting styles versus feeding practices differ as a function of child BMI
Author(s) -
Danelia Ketevan,
HubbsTait Laura,
Moore Nicole Lee,
Kennedy Tay S.,
Baker Eric Ray,
Larzelere Robert E.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.102.4
Subject(s) - percentile , overweight , demography , childhood obesity , parenting styles , obesity , medicine , permissive , psychology , healthy eating , child obesity , pediatrics , developmental psychology , physical activity , mathematics , statistics , endocrinology , physical therapy , virology , sociology
This study compared predictors of parental modeling of healthful eating for preschool children with BMI < 50 th versus BMI = 75 th percentile, because this difference is linked to a six fold increase in later overweight. Participants were 131 3‐ to 4‐year‐old children with BMI measured in fall and spring. 53% had average BMI =75 th percentile and 24% had average BMI < 50 th percentile. Three parental styles ‐ authoritarian, authoritative, permissive ‐ and four feeding practices ‐ model, discourage, plan, external focus ‐‐ were measured. For children with BMI = 75 th percentile, regression analyses showed parenting practices did not but feeding practices did predict modeling of healthful eating ( R 2 = .15, p =.016). For children with BMI < 50 th percentile, regression analyses showed parental styles, particularly authoritative, predicted parental modeling of healthful eating behavior ( R 2 = .45, p =. 001) but feeding practices did not. Findings suggest nutrition educators working with families of heavier children could teach parental feeding practices to increase modeling. But, additional research should first investigate whether the authoritative practices of parents of normal weight children would enhance the healthful eating of heavier children. Funding: USDA‐CREES Number OKL0 2605.