Parent Feeding Styles and Child BMI: A Cross-Ethnic Comparison

Patricia Kamlley, Lenna Ontai & Carolyn Sutter

Introduction
Introduction
Cross cultural differences in associations between
parenting and child obesity are important, because
African Americans and Latino Americans have higher
rates of obesity (Ogden et al., 2010).
Feeding styles, which mirror parenting styles, are
correlated with child weight status (Henessey et al.,
2010).
Child development outcomes are associated with
parenting styles, but those associations further vary by
ethnicity (Ho et al., 2008).
Such differences may help explain ethnic differences in
obesity rates, which may in turn help inform more
effective interventions for high risk groups.
Research Aims
Aim 1: Does BMI percentile vary by ethnicity?
Aim 2: Does BMI percentile vary by parent feeding
style?
Parenting
Aim 3: Does BMI percentile differ by parent feeding
style and ethnicity?
Department of Human Ecology
Results
Results Conclusions
Conclusions & Future Directions
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Main Analysis Consistent with previous research, parent feeding
course I'll help you with
A 4 x 2 ANOVA was run to examine main effects and styles are associated with physical indicators of obesity
interaction effects of ethnicity and parent feeding risk and dietary behaviors.
styles on child BMI percentile.
Contrary to our hypothesis, BMI percentile was higher
Aim 1: Association between BMI percentile and in children with authoritative parent feeding styles.
ethnicity is not supported.
Based on research with other outcomes, this may be
Aim 2: There is a trend between BMI percentile and driven by ethnicity.
parent feeding style. (p = .08)
Similar to other child development outcomes, nutrition
outcomes are differentially associated with parenting
styles by ethnicity. For African American children, the
results suggest that an authoritarian parent feeding
style is associated with more positive child nutrition
outcomes.
BMI might not be an effective indicator of obesity risk
in children this young. Other obesity risk indicators
Aim 3: BMI percentile differing by parent feeding
may be more accurate for this age group.
style and ethnicity is not supported.
Future studies should use a sample with a wider variety
Secondary Analysis
Additional 4 x 2 ANOVAs were run to examine main of child ages to further explore the relationship
between BMI percentile, parent feeding styles and
effects and interactions of ethnicity and parent feeding
ethnicity.
style on other obesity risk indicators.

Methods
Methods Fruit &
vegetable
Participants: 116 parent-child dyads (ages 2-5 years) intake varies
who participated in the UC Davis Healthy Kids Project by parent
that were classified with authoritative or authoritarian feeding style.
feeding styles. (p =.009)
Measures:
My Child At Mealtime Questionnaire (Ontai et al.
2010) – assesses parenting practices during mealtime
HDL
using parenting style classifications
cholesterol
Obesity Indicators: BMI percentile, fasting lipid panel levels differ by
(cholesterol & glucose), fruit/vegetable & fast food ethnicity and
consumption (Healthy Kids Questionnaire -Townsend parent feeding
et al., 2010) style. (p = .029
Ethnicity: Self-reported.