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Are parenting style and controlling feeding practices related?
1School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. j.blissett@bham.ac.uk
Appetite
|November 21, 2007
Summary
Parenting styles like permissive parenting were linked to less monitoring of unhealthy foods in UK preschoolers. However, parenting styles did not directly predict child BMI in this study.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Nutritional Science
- Parenting Studies
Background:
- Parenting styles and feeding practices significantly influence child eating behaviors and weight outcomes.
- Understanding these relationships is crucial for developing effective interventions to prevent childhood obesity.
- Previous research has explored these links, but nuances across different parenting styles and parental genders require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the associations between parenting styles, feeding practices, and Body Mass Index (BMI) in preschool children.
- To investigate potential differences in these relationships between mothers and fathers.
- To explore the predictive role of parenting styles and feeding practices on child BMI.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 96 cohabiting parents (mothers and fathers) of 48 UK preschool children (mean age 42 months).
- Parents completed self-report questionnaires assessing parenting styles (authoritarian, authoritative, permissive), feeding practices, eating psychopathology, and demographics.
- Child BMI was assessed, and statistical analyses were performed to identify relationships.
Main Results:
- Permissive parenting was associated with lower monitoring of unhealthy food intake in both mothers and fathers.
- Mothers with permissive parenting styles used more restriction, while fathers used more pressure to eat.
- Authoritative parenting was linked to less pressure to eat by fathers only. No direct relationship was found between parenting styles and child BMI.
- Higher child BMI was predicted by lower paternal pressure to eat and greater paternal drive for thinness.
Conclusions:
- Parenting styles may not directly impact child BMI in early preschool years, potentially due to children's developing autonomy in food choices.
- Paternal feeding practices and psychological factors like drive for thinness appear more strongly associated with child BMI in this age group.
- Further longitudinal research is needed to understand the evolving influence of parenting on child weight status as children gain independence.
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