The Relationship Between Maternal Child Feeding Practices and Child's BMI and Child's Dietary Restraint in Mexican-American Families of Grand Rapids, MI
Location
Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall
Description
BACKGROUND: Research in Caucasian girls has shown a relationship between mother’s restrictive feeding practices and girl’s eating in absence of hunger and greater body mass index (BMI). Hispanic children disproportionately suffer from obesity, yet there are limited studies on this relationship. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between maternal feeding practices (MFP) and child’s BMI; to explore effect of demographics and culture and child’s BMI. The hypothesis that children’s BMI is positively correlated with dietary restriction and monitoring; and negatively correlated with pressure to eat was tested. SUBJECTS: First or second-generation Mexican-American women and their children 5-15 years old (one child:mother pair per family; n=40) were recruited from churches in Grand Rapids, MI. METHODS & MATERIALS: Questionnaires were administered to mothers for demographic, acculturation (BAS) and child-feeding (CFQ) information. Mothers’ and children’s BMI (kg/m2) were calculated from measured height and weight. ANALYSES: Pearson correlation analyses were used to explore BAS, child’s BMI and MFP associations. ANOVA was used to determine the association between MFP, mother’s BMI and child’s BMI. RESULTS: Acculturation was not significantly associated with child’s BMI (p= 0.391). Maternal restriction (p=0.040) and monitoring (p=0.022) were positively associated with child’s BMI, while pressure to eat (p=0.022) was negatively associated with child’s BMI. These relationships were attenuated with mothers’ BMI in the model. CONCLUSION: The level of mothers’ acculturation was not associated with child’s BMI. MFP was associated with child’s BMI, however mother’s BMI had a greater influence. These findings suggest interventions in MFP may not impact on the childhood obesity in Hispanics.
The Relationship Between Maternal Child Feeding Practices and Child's BMI and Child's Dietary Restraint in Mexican-American Families of Grand Rapids, MI
Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall
BACKGROUND: Research in Caucasian girls has shown a relationship between mother’s restrictive feeding practices and girl’s eating in absence of hunger and greater body mass index (BMI). Hispanic children disproportionately suffer from obesity, yet there are limited studies on this relationship. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between maternal feeding practices (MFP) and child’s BMI; to explore effect of demographics and culture and child’s BMI. The hypothesis that children’s BMI is positively correlated with dietary restriction and monitoring; and negatively correlated with pressure to eat was tested. SUBJECTS: First or second-generation Mexican-American women and their children 5-15 years old (one child:mother pair per family; n=40) were recruited from churches in Grand Rapids, MI. METHODS & MATERIALS: Questionnaires were administered to mothers for demographic, acculturation (BAS) and child-feeding (CFQ) information. Mothers’ and children’s BMI (kg/m2) were calculated from measured height and weight. ANALYSES: Pearson correlation analyses were used to explore BAS, child’s BMI and MFP associations. ANOVA was used to determine the association between MFP, mother’s BMI and child’s BMI. RESULTS: Acculturation was not significantly associated with child’s BMI (p= 0.391). Maternal restriction (p=0.040) and monitoring (p=0.022) were positively associated with child’s BMI, while pressure to eat (p=0.022) was negatively associated with child’s BMI. These relationships were attenuated with mothers’ BMI in the model. CONCLUSION: The level of mothers’ acculturation was not associated with child’s BMI. MFP was associated with child’s BMI, however mother’s BMI had a greater influence. These findings suggest interventions in MFP may not impact on the childhood obesity in Hispanics.