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Associations Between Feeding Practices and Overweight or Obesity in 2–6 Year-Old Children



Mohamadpour M1 ; Dorostymotlagh AR2 ; Movahedi A3
Authors

Source: Iranian Journal of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology Published:2022

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Recently, overweight and obesity have increased in preschool children. Parents play important roles in a children weight by adopting their feeding practices. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate possible associations of feeding practices with body mass index. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Mashhad kindergartens on 261 mothers with 2–6 year-old children. Mothers were asked to complete comprehensive feeding practices questionnaires through face-to-face interviews by trained questioners. Children weight and height were measured and body mass index for age z-score was calculated using Plus WHO Anthro and WHO Anthro Software. Results: The mean ±SD (standard deviation) of the age of the participants was 4.8 ±0.1 years and nearly 45% of the children were girls. Participants with more adherence to restriction for weight control had a 10.57-fold increased risk of high body mass index for age z-score in multivariable adjusted model, compared to those with lower adherence, (P for trend < 0.001). Of participants with higher adherence to involvement and modeling feeding practices, body mass index for age z-score respectively decreased by 69 and 67% in multivariable adjusted models, compared to participants with lower adherence to aforementioned feeding practices (OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.37–0.84, P for trend = 0.005 and OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.34–0.95, P for trend = 0.032, respectively). No significant associations were observed between other feeding practices and body mass index for age z-score. Conclusion: The present study has shown that higher desirable feeding practices are linked to better body mass index for age z-score status; however, lower desirable feeding practices were associated to weaker body mass index for age z-score status. © 2022, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute. All rights reserved.
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