Maternal Parenting Behaviors During Childhood Relate to Weight Status and Fruit and Vegetable Intake of College Students

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-2012

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Examine how maternal parenting behaviors in childhood, both general and feeding specific, relate to weight status and fruit and vegetable consumption in college students.
DESIGN: Retrospective surveys on maternal behaviors and assessments on the college-aged child's current anthropometric measures and dietary intakes.
PARTICIPANTS: College students (n = 424; 66% women).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Students' weight, height, waist circumference, fruit and vegetable intakes, students' reports on mothers' general and feeding-specific parenting behaviors during childhood.
ANALYSIS: Correlation and regression analyses tested how maternal behaviors in childhood related to students' body mass index, waist circumference, and fruit and vegetable intake.
RESULTS: Mothers' psychological control during childhood was associated with higher body mass index and waist circumference in students, and behavioral control was associated with lower waist circumference. Parent-centered feeding behaviors related to lower fruit and vegetable intakes of students, whereas child-centered feeding behaviors related to higher fruit and vegetable intakes.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings suggest that parental use of behavioral control and child-centered feeding practices and minimal use of psychological control and parent-centered feeding practices during childhood may promote a child's healthful weight status and fruit and vegetable consumption in young adulthood, specifically during college.

Publication Title

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior

Volume

44

Issue

6

First Page

556

Last Page

563

PMCID

PMID: 22137501

DOI of Published Version

10.1016/j.jneb.2011.05.008

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