The following is a summary of “Association between parental feeding styles, body mass index, and consumption of fruits, vegetables and processed foods with mothers´ perceptions of feeding difficulties in children,” published in the March 2024 issue of Pediatrics by Fontanezi et al.

Feeding difficulties (FDs) in children are multifaceted issues influenced by various parental and environmental factors, yet there needs to be more research examining their interplay. This cross-sectional study aimed to elucidate the correlations between maternal perceptions of FDs in children and parental feeding styles, body mass index (BMI), and dietary habits concerning fruits, vegetables, and processed foods. A cohort of 257 mothers with children aged 1 to 6 years and 11 months participated, completing electronic questionnaires encompassing sociographic details, parental feeding styles, dietary patterns, and FD assessments. 

Nutritional status was classified based on BMI calculations. Results revealed a prevalence of FDs in children at 48.2%, with a mean age of 43.8 (± 17.6) months. The indulgent parental feeding style emerged as the most prevalent (40.1%), followed by authoritative (31.1%), authoritarian (23.7%), and uninvolved (5.1%) styles. Associations were observed between indulgent feeding practices (OR: 4.66; 95% CI: 2.20–9.85), high BMI (OR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.09–1.68), and processed food consumption (OR: 5.21; 95% CI: 2.85–9.53) with increased odds of FD absence in children. 

However, associations between authoritarian and uninvolved feeding styles, fruit and vegetable intake, and FDs were not statistically significant. These findings underscore the multifaceted nature of childhood feeding behaviors, suggesting potential implications for intervention strategies to mitigate FDs. Further research is warranted to comprehensively delineate these factors’ nuanced impacts on childhood feeding difficulties.

Source: bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-024-04657-7