scholarly journals Associations between Children’s Genetic Susceptibility to Obesity, Infant’s Appetite and Parental Feeding Practices in Toddlerhood

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1468
Author(s):  
Claire Guivarch ◽  
Marie-Aline Charles ◽  
Anne Forhan ◽  
Ken K. Ong ◽  
Barbara Heude ◽  
...  

Previous findings suggest that parental feeding practices may adapt to children’s eating behavior and sex, but few studies assessed these associations in toddlerhood. We aimed to study the associations between infant’s appetite or children’s genetic susceptibility to obesity and parental feeding practices. We assessed infant’s appetite (three-category indicator: low, normal or high appetite, labelled 4-to-24-month appetite) and calculated a combined obesity risk-allele score (genetic risk score of body mass index (BMI-GRS)) in a longitudinal study of respectively 1358 and 932 children from the EDEN cohort. Parental feeding practices were assessed at 2-year-follow-up by the CFPQ. Three of the five tested scores were used as continuous variables; others were considered as binary variables, according to the median. Associations between infant’s appetite or child’s BMI-GRS and parental feeding practices were assessed by linear and logistic regression models, stratified on child’s sex if interactions were significant. 4-to-24-month appetite was positively associated with restrictive feeding practices among boys and girls. Among boys, high compared to normal 4-to-24-month appetite was associated with higher use of food to regulate child’s emotions (OR [95% CI] = 2.24 [1.36; 3.68]). Child’s BMI-GRS was not related to parental feeding practices. Parental feeding practices may adapt to parental perception of infant’s appetite and child’s sex.

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 174-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Lind Melbye ◽  
Håvard Hansen

Purpose – The majority of previous studies on parental feeding practices have focused on the effect of controlling feeding strategies on child eating and weight (i.e. parental influence on children). The present study turns the arrow in the opposite direction, and it aims to test a child-responsive model by exploring the process in which child weight status might influence parental feeding practices, addressing potential mediating effects of parental concern for child weight (i.e. child influence on parents). Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional survey was performed among parents of 10- to 12-year olds (n = 963). The survey questionnaire included measures of parental feeding practices and parents’ reports of child weight and height. Stepwise regressions were performed to reveal potential mediating effects of parental concern for child weight status on the associations between child BMI and a wide range of parental feeding practices. Findings – Our results suggest a mediating effect of parental concern for child overweight on the associations between child body mass index and controlling feeding practices such as restriction for weight and health purposes and responsibility for determining child portion sizes. Originality/value – This study provides an extension of previous research on parental feeding–child weight relationship. It includes a wider spectrum of feeding variables, and integrates parental concern for both child who is overweight and child who is underweight as potential mediators of the associations between child weight and parental feeding practices. Moreover, it has its focus on preadolescent children, while previous studies have focused on infants and young children.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frøydis Nordgård Vik ◽  
Erik Grasaas ◽  
Maaike E. M. Polspoel ◽  
Margrethe Røed ◽  
Elisabet R. Hillesund ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundPositive parental feeding practices and a higher frequency of family meals are related to healthier child dietary habits. Parents play an essential role when it comes to the development of their child’s eating habits. However, parents are increasingly distracted by their mobile phone during mealtime. The aim of this study was to describe the feeding practices and daily shared family meals among parents who use and do not use mobile phone during mealtime, and further to explore the associations between the use of mobile phone during mealtime and feeding practices and daily shared family meals, respectively.Methods Cross-sectional data from the Food4toddler study were used to explore the association between mobile use during meals and parental feeding practices including family meals. In 2017/2018 parents of toddlers were recruited through social media to participate in the study. In total 298 out of 404 who volunteered to participate, filled in a baseline questionnaire, including questions from the comprehensive feeding practices questionnaire (CFPQ), questions of frequency of family meals and use of mobile phone during meals. ResultsHerein, 4 out of 10 parents reported various levels of phone use (meal distraction) during mealtimes. Parental phone use was associated with lower use of positive parental feeding practices like modelling (B= -1.05 (95% CI -1.69; -0.41)) and family food environment (B= -0.77 (95% CI -1.51; -0.03)), and more use of negative parental feeding practices like emotional regulation (B= 0.73 (95% CI 0.32; 1.14)) and the use of pressure to eat (B= 1.22 (95% CI 0.41; 2.03)). Furthermore, parental phone use was associated with a lower frequency of daily family breakfast (OR= 0.50 (95% CI 0.31; 0.82)) and dinner (OR= 0.57 (95% CI 0.35; 0.93)). ConclusionsMobile phone use is common among parents during mealtimes, and findings indicate that parental phone use is associated with less healthy feeding practices and shared family meals. These findings highlight the importance of making parents aware of potential impacts of meal distractions. Trial registration: ISRCTN92980420. Registered 13 September 2017. Retrospectively registered.


2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 899-909 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Evans ◽  
Jennifer Greenberg Seth ◽  
Shanna Smith ◽  
Karol Kaye Harris ◽  
Jennifer Loyo ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 759-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiange Wang ◽  
Yoriko Heianza ◽  
Dianjianyi Sun ◽  
Yan Zheng ◽  
Tao Huang ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Background Whether changes in fruit and vegetable intake can modify the effect of genetic susceptibility to obesity on long-term changes in BMI and body weight are uncertain. Objective We analyzed the interactions of changes in total and specific fruit and vegetable intake with genetic susceptibility to obesity in relation to changes in BMI and body weight. Methods We calculated a genetic risk score on the basis of 77 BMI-associated loci to determine the genetic susceptibility to obesity, and examined the interactions of changes in total and specific fruit and vegetable intake with the genetic risk score on changes in BMI and body weight within five 4-y intervals over 20 y of follow-up in 8943 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and 5308 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS). Results In the combined cohorts, repeated 4-y BMI change per 10-risk allele increment was 0.09 kg/m2 among participants with the greatest decrease in total fruit and vegetable intake and −0.02 among those with the greatest increase in intake (P-interaction <0.001; corresponding weight change: 0.20 kg compared with −0.06 kg). The magnitude of decrease in BMI associated with increasing fruit and vegetable intake was more prominent among participants with high genetic risk than those with low risk. Reproducible interactions were observed for fruits and vegetables separately (both P-interaction <0.001). Based on similar nutritional content, the interaction effect was greatest for berries, citrus fruits, and green leafy vegetables, and the interaction pattern persisted regardless of the different fiber content or glycemic load of fruits and vegetables. Conclusions Genetically associated increased BMI and body weight could be mitigated by increasing fruit and vegetable intake, and the beneficial effect of improving fruit and vegetable intake on weight management was more pronounced in individuals with greater genetic susceptibility to obesity.


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