The Influence of Parental Feeding Knowledge and Practices on Chinese Children and Adolescents' Weight Status

Abstract

Background: Child and adolescent overweight is becoming more prevalent in recent decades. It is imperative to investigate the determinants of children and adolescents’ weight outcomes. Methods: Through analyzing the 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2011 waves of survey data released by China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), this paper investigated the gender and rural-urban differences in terms of the ways in which parental feeding knowledge and practices affected the weight status of Chinese children and adolescents aged 6 to 17. Data were collected through random sampling strategy and logistic regression models were built to conduct analyses.Results: The results showed that feeding knowledge and practices varied by parental residence and were different among mothers and fathers. In addition, parental feeding knowledge, parental eating habits and styles, mother’s intervention on children’s food intakes and physical exercise, and the number of meals parents sharing with children showed significant effects on children and adolescents' weight status. Conclusions: As compared to fathers, mothers’ feeding practices showed more significant effects on children and adolescents’ weight status. The manner in which parental feeding practices influenced children and adolescents’ weight status also differed in rural and urban settings. These findings suggested that mothers were still “gatekeepers” of children and adolescents’ food choices and selection; their feeding practices played a more decisive role on Chinese youth’s weight status. The urban-rural differentials highlighted in this research also reminded us that the “one-fits-all” solutions to prevent youth’s obesity should be avoided.

Association of physical activity and feeding preferences of children with their nutritional status: A school based crosssectional study

“…In contrast, a Chinese study among school children reported that higher restriction and lower pressure to eat by parents were both related to higher BMI in children. 8 Another study done in Swedish children using CFQ showed that children's BMI was negatively associated with pressure to eat but positively associated with restriction. 22 In contrast, a research done among 232 school going children in Casablanca, Chile illustrated that there was no significant correlation between childfeeding practices and BMI z score.…”

“…The questionnaire assessed socio-demographic details, level of physical activity, and feeding preferences of parents for their children. Modified Child's Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ) 8 was used to collect information on feeding preferences of parents for their children and physical activity of the children was measured by using modified Child Physical Activity Questionnaire (CPAQ). 9 Additionally, height and weight of the children were measured in schools by the principal investigator.…”