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Parental Feeding Practices and Concerns Related to Child Underweight, Picky Eating, and Using Food to Calm Differ According to Ethnicity/Race, Acculturation, and Income

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in parental feeding practices according to ethnicity/race, household income, parent education level, acculturation (for Hispanic participants only), and participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program among parents living in a southern state in the United States. For this cross-sectional study, parents of children ages 1–5 years living throughout Texas were recruited through random digit dialing with screening questions during Fall 2006. Eligible parents who agreed to participate completed the Preschooler Feeding Questionnaire (PFQ) and a demographic questionnaire over the phone in either English or Spanish. The PFQ included five subscales: child overeating concerns, child underweight concerns, difficulty with picky eating, using food to calm, and pushing child to eat. Demographic questions assessed ethnicity/race, household income, parent education level, acculturation, and WIC participation. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), with the demographic variables as predictors, was used to predict the five PFQ subscales. Complete data were obtained from 721 parents, 50% of whom were Hispanic. Significant differences for the PFQ subscales were noted for ethnicity/race, acculturation, and income level. Spanish-speaking Hispanic participants were significantly more worried about their child being underweight than English-speaking Hispanic participants. High-income non-WIC respondents were more likely to report that they have difficulty with picky eaters compared to WIC respondents. Spanish-speaking Hispanics and Black respondents were more likely than English-speaking Hispanics to use food to calm the child. Health practitioners need to be aware of differences in parental feeding practices and concerns among parents of diverse demographic backgrounds. Results from this study can be used to tailor health programs that promote healthy feeding practices among parents.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) of the Texas Department of State Health Services for their ongoing support; Carol Holahan for her work in the early stages of the project; Rie Suzuki and Tara Ray for their participation in the development of the study. The research was supported by contract number 7217217217-2006 (Program Attachment # 05) from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to the last author. The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the TX DSHS. Preparation of this manuscript was made possible in part by funding by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living, Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, Austin Regional Campus, 313 E. 12th Street, Suite 220, Austin, TX, 78701, USA

    Alexandra Evans

  2. Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station D3700, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Jennifer Greenberg Seth, Karol Kaye Harris, Jennifer Loyo, Carol Spaulding & Nell Gottlieb

  3. Division of Statistics & Scientific Computation, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, G2550, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Shanna Smith

  4. Texas Department of State Health Services, Nutrition Services Section, PO Box 149347, Austin, TX, 78714, USA

    Mary Van Eck

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  1. Alexandra Evans
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Correspondence to Alexandra Evans.

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Evans, A., Seth, J.G., Smith, S. et al. Parental Feeding Practices and Concerns Related to Child Underweight, Picky Eating, and Using Food to Calm Differ According to Ethnicity/Race, Acculturation, and Income. Matern Child Health J 15, 899–909 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-009-0526-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-009-0526-6

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