Abstract
Background: Individual variations in child weight can be explained by genetic and behavioural susceptibility to obesity. Behavioural susceptibility can be expressed in appetite-related traits, e.g. food responsiveness. Research into such behavioural factors is important, as it can provide starting points for (preventive) interventions.
Objectives: To examine associations of children's appetitive traits with weight and with fruit, snack and sugar-sweetened beverage intake, and to examine whether parenting style interacts with appetite in determining child weight/intake.
Methods: Data were used from 1275 children participating in the INPACT study in 2009-2010, with a mean age of 9 years in 2009. Their height and weight were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI). Parents completed a questionnaire to measure children's appetitive traits, children's dietary intake and parenting style. Child BMI z-scores, fruit, snack and sugar-sweetened beverage intake were regressed on appetitive traits. Moderation by parenting style was tested by adding interaction terms to the regression analyses.
Results: Food-approaching appetitive traits were positively, and food-avoidant appetitive traits were negatively related to child BMI z-scores and to child fruit intake. There were no or less consistent associations for snack and sugar-sweetened beverage intake. Authoritative parenting voided the negative association between food fussiness and fruit intake, while neglecting parenting strengthened the positive association between food-approaching appetitive traits and weight.
Conclusions: Early assessment of appetitive traits could be used to identify children at risk for overweight. As parenting style can moderate the associations between appetitive traits and weight/intake in a favourable way, parents are a promising target group for preventive interventions aimed at influencing the effect of appetitive traits on children. Citation: Rodenburg G, Kremers SPJ, Oenema A, van de Mheen D (2012) Associations of Children's Appetitive Traits with Weight and Dietary Behaviours in the Context of General Parenting. PLoS ONE 7(12): e50642. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0050642
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 50642 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | PLOS ONE |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 5 Dec 2012 |
Keywords
- EATING BEHAVIOR
- SOFT DRINKS
- CHILDHOOD OVERWEIGHT
- FRUIT
- OBESITY
- STYLE
- QUESTIONNAIRE
- VALIDITY
- SUSCEPTIBILITY
- REPRODUCIBILITY