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Maternal child feeding practices and obesity: a discordant sibling analysis
B E Saelens1, M M Ernst, L H Epstein
1Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
Insights
Maternal feeding control did not link to childhood obesity. However, a mother's own weight and eating habits influenced her perceptions of her children's weight and health, regardless of their actual weight status.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric obesity research
- Family dynamics in weight management
- Maternal influences on child health
Background:
- Investigated the link between maternal feeding practices and the weight status of 7-12-year-old siblings.
- Utilized a discordant sibling design in 18 families, comparing obese and nonobese siblings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the relationship between maternal feeding practices and child weight status.
- To understand maternal perceptions and control over child feeding behaviors.
- To explore the influence of maternal eating habits on perceptions of child weight.
Main Methods:
- Mothers completed questionnaires on their concerns and perceptions of their children's weight and eating behaviors.
- Assessed maternal control over child feeding and maternal eating behaviors.
- Analyzed intraclass correlations for sibling similarity in maternal feeding control.
Main Results:
- No significant difference found in maternal control over feeding between obese and nonobese siblings.
- Mothers perceived differences in eating regulation between their obese and nonobese children.
- Maternal weight status correlated positively with her own eating disinhibition and her concern for both obese and nonobese children's weight and health.
Conclusions:
- Maternal control over feeding is not directly related to childhood obesity.
- Maternal weight history and eating habits significantly impact her perceptions of her children's future weight and health.
- Maternal perceptions are influenced independently of the child's current weight status.
Background:
The relationship between maternal feeding practices and weight status of 7-12 year-old obese and nonobese siblings was evaluated in 18 families using a discordant sibling design.
Method:
Mothers completed measures of concern and perception of children's weight and eating behavior, their control over child feeding, and maternal eating behavior.
Results:
Intraclass correlations suggested similarity between obese and nonobese siblings in maternal control over feeding. Mothers perceived differences between their obese and nonobese children's eating regulation. Mothers' weight status was positively associated with disinhibition of their own eating as well as concern about both their obese and nonobese children's weight and health.
Discussion:
These findings fail to support the hypothesis that maternal control over child feeding is related to childhood obesity, but highlight the impact of maternal weight history and eating habits on her impression of children's future weight and health independent of the child's weight status.