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Parental feeding style, energy intake and weight status in young Scottish children

Colette Montgomery1, Diane M Jackson, Louise A Kelly

  • 1University of Glasgow Division of Developmental Medicine, Yorkhill Hospital, Glasgow G3 8SJ, Scotland, UK.

The British Journal of Nutrition
|December 22, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Parental feeding styles in Scottish children showed no significant gender differences or changes over two years. Parental perceptions of child weight correlated with actual weight, but feeding control did not impact energy intake or BMI SD scores.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Child Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Parental feeding styles significantly influence child eating behaviors and weight.
  • Existing research on parental feeding styles is predominantly from the USA.
  • Further investigation in diverse populations is needed to understand these influences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize gender differences in parental feeding styles using the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ) in Scottish children.
  • To examine changes in parental feeding styles over a two-year period.
  • To assess associations between parental feeding style, energy intake, and weight status (BMI SD score).

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ) in a sample of 117 Scottish children (mean age 4.6 years).
  • Conducted a longitudinal analysis over two years for 40 children.
  • Measured free-living energy intake via 3-day multiple pass 24-hour recalls and weight status using BMI SD scores.

Main Results:

  • No significant gender differences were observed in any dimension of parental feeding style.
  • Parental feeding styles did not significantly change over the two-year study period.
  • Parental perceptions of child weight status positively correlated with measured BMI SD scores, but parental control measures were not associated with energy intake or weight status.

Conclusions:

  • Parental feeding styles, as measured by the CFQ, showed stability and no gender differences in this Scottish cohort.
  • Parental perception of child weight is linked to actual weight, but feeding control strategies may not influence energy intake or BMI in this context.
  • Findings suggest context-specific factors may mediate the relationship between parental feeding styles and child weight outcomes.

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