Parenting and feeding behaviors associated with school-aged African American and White children

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Michele Lynn Polfuss1, Marilyn Frenn

  • 1Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road MS 610, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. mpolfuss@mcw.edu

Western Journal of Nursing Research
|March 24, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Parenting and feeding behaviors significantly impact pediatric obesity risk. African American parents and those concerned about weight showed more controlling behaviors, influencing children's body mass index percentile (BMI%).

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Child Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Pediatric obesity is a complex health issue influenced by various factors.
  • Parenting and feeding behaviors are known to affect a child's weight status.
  • Previous research has primarily focused on White, preschool-aged children, limiting understanding of diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine parenting and feeding behaviors in African American and White parents of school-aged children.
  • To identify specific behaviors associated with parental concern about a child's weight.
  • To determine the relationship between these behaviors and children's body mass index percentile (BMI%), considering ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and parental BMI.

Main Methods:

  • Surveyed 176 African American and White parents regarding their parenting and feeding practices.
  • Assessed parental identification of their child's weight status.
  • Analyzed the association between parenting/feeding behaviors and child's BMI percentile, controlling for demographic variables.

Main Results:

  • African American parents and those concerned about their child's weight reported more controlling/authoritarian parenting and feeding behaviors.
  • Parents demonstrated accuracy in identifying their child's weight status.
  • Parenting and feeding behaviors significantly predicted children's BMI percentile, independent of ethnicity, SES, and parental BMI.

Conclusions:

  • Controlling parenting and feeding behaviors are associated with higher child BMI percentile in school-aged children.
  • Understanding these behaviors is crucial for developing targeted interventions for pediatric obesity.
  • Interventions should consider cultural and socioeconomic factors in diverse populations.

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