Acculturation and Feeding in Hispanic Mothers: Continuous and Categorical Analyses

Authors: POWER, THOMAS - Washington State University; BAKER, SUSAN - Colorado State University; MICHELI, NILDA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); PAPAIOANNOU, MARIA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); DIAZ MARTINEZ, ANAMARIA - Washington State University Extension Service; HUGHES, SHERYL - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: Childhood Obesity
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/8/2025
Publication Date: 10/8/2025
Citation: Power, T.G., Baker, S.S., Micheli, N., Papaioannou, M.A., Diaz Martinez, A., Hughes, S.0. 2025. Acculturation and Feeding in Hispanic Mothers: Continuous and Categorical Analyses. Childhood Obesity. https://doi.org/10.1177/21532176251385699.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/21532176251385699

Interpretive Summary: Childhood obesity is a growing concern in the United States, especially among Hispanic children. One factor that may influence this issue is how parents, particularly mothers, feed their children. Past research has mostly looked at negative feeding behaviors, like pressuring to eat, but has not explored positive feeding habits or how cultural adaptation (acculturation) affects these behaviors. Also, most studies have treated acculturation as a simple process, without considering the complex ways people blend their original and new cultures. This study examined feeding practices among over 750 mothers, focusing on Hispanic mothers with varying levels of acculturation. Researchers found that mothers more integrated into American culture used healthier, child-centered feeding approached and felt more confident in promoting healthy eating. However, they were also more likely to adopt permissive feeding styles, which can increase obesity risk. Mothers who balanced both cultures showed structured and responsive feeding without being overly permissive. This research highlights the importance of considering cultural adaptation when designing programs to support healthy eating in families. It shows that as Hispanic mothers become more familiar with the culture in the US, they may adopt healthier feeding practices but may also need guidance to avoid becoming too permissive. By understanding these patterns, more effective, culturally sensitive programs promoting healthy eating habits and reducing the risk of childhood obesity may be developed.

Technical Abstract: Despite previous studies showing that acculturation in Hispanic mothers is associated with less frequent use of highly controlling feeding practices, our understanding of acculturation and feeding is still limited. Little attention has been given to positive feeding practices, re-searchers have focused on acculturation as a unidimensional construct, and few studies have compared Hispanic to non-Hispanic parents. In this study, 750 mothers (596 Hispanic) completed questionnaires assessing feeding practices/styles; Hispanic mothers completed a bidimensional, language-based acculturation questionnaire. Acculturation was analyzed both as a continuous variable and by assigning Hispanic mothers into acculturation groups based on their language competency, usage, and media preferences (separation, assimilation, integration, and marginalization). Highly controlling feeding practices were associated with Spanish orientation scores whereas mealtime/snack-time structure, responsiveness to children’s fullness cues, child involvement in food preparation, and feeding efficacy were associated with English orientation scores. Acculturation group comparisons showed that mothers in the separation group differed the most from non-Hispanic mothers and that mothers in the assimilation group did not significantly differ from non-Hispanic mothers on any feeding practices. Mothers in the integration group were more restrictive than non-Hispanic mothers. The indulgent feeding style was most common among mothers in the assimilation group. These findings extend the results of previous research by: 1) identifying positive feeding strategies associated with acculturation; 2) demonstrating the value of studying acculturation as a multidimensional process, and 3) showing how feeding practices and styles show different patterns of association with acculturation in Hispanic mothers.