Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 7, 2025
Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil
Published on: July 29, 2020
Artificial intelligence as an analytic approximation to evaluate associations between parental feeding behaviours and
Edna M Gamboa1, Claudia I Amaya2, Antonio Bahamonde3
1School of Nutrition and Dietetics, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Santander680003, Colombia.
Insights
Parental feeding practices, like using food for emotional control or restricting intake, significantly predict excess weight in preschoolers. These findings highlight the need for parent-focused nutrition education interventions to combat childhood obesity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health Nutrition
- Artificial Intelligence in Health
Background:
- Parental practices significantly influence children's weight and Body Mass Index (BMI).
- A high prevalence of childhood obesity necessitates understanding contributing factors, including parental feeding behaviors.
- Previous research suggests a link between childrearing feeding practices and pediatric weight status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between parental feeding practices and excess weight in preschoolers.
- To utilize artificial intelligence (AI) in analyzing the relationship between feeding behaviors and childhood obesity.
- To establish a baseline for designing targeted nutrition education programs for parents.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study conducted in Bucaramanga, Colombia (September-December 2017) with 384 preschoolers.
- Logistic regression analysis to determine the predictive effect of parental practices on excess weight.
- Analysis included sociodemographic factors, dietary intake, and physical activity as confounders; AUC measured model performance.
Main Results:
- Specific parental feeding practices were strongly associated with excess weight in children.
- Using food to control behavior (emotional control) showed an Odds Ratio (OR) of 1.77 (95% CI 1.45-1.83, P=0.034).
- Encouraging children to eat less also correlated with excess weight (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.14-1.89, P=0.045).
Conclusions:
- Parental feeding practices are significant predictors of excess weight in preschool-aged children.
- Interventions targeting parental behaviors related to feeding are crucial for addressing childhood obesity.
- Findings provide a foundation for public health initiatives and nutrition education for parents of young children.
Abstract:
Parental practices can affect children's weight and BMI and may even be related to a high prevalence of obesity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between parents' practices related to feeding their children and excess weight in preschoolers in Bucaramanga, Colombia, using artificial intelligence. A cross-sectional study was carried out between September and December 2017. The sample included preschoolers who attended child development institutions belonging to the Colombian Institute for Family Wellbeing in Bucaramanga and the metropolitan area (n 384). The outcome variable was excess weight and the main independent variable was parental feeding practices. Confounding variables analysed included sociodemographic characteristics, food consumption, and children's physical activity. All equipment for the anthropometric measurements was calibrated. Logistic regression was used to predict the effect of parental practices on the excess weight of the children, and the AUC was used to measure performance. The parental practices with the greatest association with excess weight in the children involved using food to control their behaviour and restricting the amount of food they offered (use of food to control emotions (OR 1·77; 95 % CI 1·45, 1·83; P = 0·034) and encouraging children to eat less (OR 1·22; 95 % CI 1·14, 1·89; P = 0·045)). Childrearing practices related to feeding were found to be an important predictor of excess weight in children. The results of this study represent implications for public health considering this as a baseline for the design of nutrition education interventions focused on parents of preschoolers.
Related Concept Videos
01:53Cause and Effect
01:52Regression Toward the Mean
01:23Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
01:27Parentral Nutrition: Centeral and Peripheral Parental Nutrition
PN can be administered through two primary routes:
1. Central Parenteral Nutrition (CPN):
CPN involves delivering a high concentration of nutrients through a large vein. This is typically achieved using a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) or,...
01:29Environmental Influences on Intelligence
01:24Obesity