Caregivers' Feeding Behaviour, Children's Eating Behaviour and Weight Status Among Children of Preschool Age in China

Overview

Journal J Hum Nutr Diet

Date 2021 Feb 27

PMID 33639028

Citations 7

Authors

Jing Yuan

Xun Jiang

Tongyu Zhu

Yuhai Zhang

Yue Wang

Xianjun Yang

Lei Shang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity have become significant public health challenges worldwide. The present study aimed to investigate whether caregivers' feeding behaviour and children's eating behaviour were associated with the weight status of preschool children in China.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to 912 caregivers of preschool children from April to July 2016. Caregivers' feeding behaviours were assessed by the Chinese Preschooler's Caregiver Feeding Behaviour Scale. Children's eating behaviours were evaluated using the Chinese Preschooler's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. After controlling for demographic characteristics, multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between caregivers' feeding behaviour, children's eating behaviour and children's body mass index (BMI).

Results: The results showed that weight concerns on the part of caregivers (β = 0.53) and food responsiveness on the part of children (β = 0.93) were positively correlated with children's BMI, whereas caregivers' responsibility for feeding (β = -0.68) and children's external eating (β = -0.53) were negatively correlated with BMI. Among caregiver feeding behaviours, weight concerns [odds ratio (OR) =4.54, p < 0.001] and behaviour-restricted feeding (OR =0.29, p < 0.001) were positively correlated with children's BMI. A child's food responsiveness (OR =4.04, p < 0.001) was also positively correlated with his/her BMI, whereas the child's satiety responsiveness (OR =0.42, p < 0.001) and emotional eating habits (OR =0.56, p < 0.001) were negatively correlated with overweight/obesity status.

Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that children's eating behaviour and caregivers' feeding behaviour were associated with weight status among preschool children in China. Behaviour interventions on caregivers and their children may prevent or reduce weight problems in preschool children.

Citing Articles

Parental Feeding Practices, Weight Perception, and Children's Appetitive Traits Are Associated with Weight Trajectories in Preschoolers: A Longitudinal Study in China.

Chen Y, Qu F, Wei X, Song X, Wu R, Wang J Nutrients. 2024; 16(21).

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Empowering parents to optimize feeding practices with preschool children (EPO-Feeding): A study protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial.

Wang J, Cao Y, Wei X, Winkley K, Chang Y PLoS One. 2024; 19(6):e0304707.

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Healthy Life Habits in Caregivers of Children in Vulnerable Populations: A Cluster Analysis.

Mebarak M, Mendoza J, Romero D, Amar J Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024; 21(5).

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Bidirectional Associations between Parental Feeding Practices and Child Eating Behaviors in a Chinese Sample.

Wang J, Wu R, Wei X, Chang Y, Tang X, Zhu B Nutrients. 2024; 16(1).

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Dairy fortification as a good option for dietary nutrition status improvement of 676 preschool children in China: A simulation study based on a cross-sectional diet survey (2018-2019).

Ding Y, Han F, Xie Z, Li G, Zhuang Y, Yin J Front Nutr. 2022; 9:1081495.

PMID: 36570132 PMC: 9773072. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1081495.

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