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Title: Parental feeding practices in Mexican American families: Initial test of an expanded measure

Author
item TSCHANN, JEANNE - University Of California
item GREGORICH, STEVEN - University Of California
item PENILLA, CARLOS - University Of California
item PASCH, LAURI - University Of California
item DE GROAT, CYNTHIA - University Of California
item FLORES, ELENA - University Of San Francisco
item DEARDORFF, JULIANNA - University Of California
item GREENSPAN, LOUISE - Kaiser Permanente
item BUTTE, NANCY - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/8/2013
Publication Date: 1/17/2013
Citation: Tschann, J.M., Gregorich, S.E., Penilla, C., Pasch, L.A., De Groat, C.L., Flores, E., Deardorff, J., Greenspan, L.C., Butte, N.F. 2013. Parental feeding practices in Mexican American families: Initial test of an expanded measure. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 10:6.

Interpretive Summary: The purpose of this study was to develop the Parental Feeding Practices Questionnaire (PFP Questionnaire) for use with Mexican American parents. Questionaire items reflected both parent's use of control over child eating and child-centered feeding practices. Mothers and fathers of Mexican American children ages 8-10 completed questionnaires, and anthropometric measures were obtained on family members. We identified four parental feeding practice dimensions: positive involvement in child meals, pressure to eat, use of food to control behavior, and restriction of amount of food using confirmatory factor analyses. Mothers reporting more positive involvement in meals had children with lower BMI. Parents using more pressure to eat had children with lower BMI, while parents using more restriction had children with higher BMI. Fathers using food to control behavior had children with lower BMI. The PFP Questionnaire can be used to increase understanding of parental feeding practices, children’s eating, and obesity among Mexican Americans, a population at high risk of obesity.

Technical Abstract: Although obesity rates are high among Latino children, relatively few studies of parental feeding practices have examined Latino families as a separate group. Culturally-based approaches to measurement development can begin to identify parental feeding practices in specific cultural groups. This study used qualitative and quantitative methods to develop and test the Parental Feeding Practices (PFP) Questionnaire for use with Mexican American parents. Items reflected both parent's use of control over child eating and child-centered feeding practices. In the qualitative phase of the research, 35 Latino parents participated in focus groups. Items for the PFP were developed from focus group discussions, as well as adapted from existing parent feeding practice measures. Cognitive interviews were conducted with 37 adults to evaluate items. In the quantitative phase, mothers and fathers of 174 Mexican American children ages 8–10 completed the PFP and provided demographic information. Anthropometric measures were obtained on family members. Confirmatory factor analyses identified four parental feeding practice dimensions: positive involvement in child eating, pressure to eat, use of food to control behavior, and restriction of amount of food. Factorial invariance modeling suggested equivalent factor meaning and item response scaling across mothers and fathers. Mothers and fathers differed somewhat in their use of feeding practices. All four feeding practices were related to child body mass index (BMI) percentiles, for one or both parents. Mothers reporting more positive involvement had children with lower BMI percentiles. Parents using more pressure to eat had children with lower BMI percentiles, while parents using more restriction had children with higher BMI percentiles. Fathers using food to control behavior had children with lower BMI percentiles. Results indicate good initial validity and reliability for the PFP. It can be used to increase understanding of parental feeding practices, children's eating, and obesity among Mexican Americans, a population at high risk of obesity.