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. 2014 Feb;99(2):249-57.
doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.063545. Epub 2013 Nov 27.

Maternal controlling feeding practices and girls' inhibitory control interact to predict changes in BMI and eating in the absence of hunger from 5 to 7 y

Brandi Y Rollins  1 , Eric Loken, Jennifer S Savage, Leann L Birch
Affiliations

Maternal controlling feeding practices and girls' inhibitory control interact to predict changes in BMI and eating in the absence of hunger from 5 to 7 y

Brandi Y Rollins et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Mothers use a range of feeding practices to limit children's intake of palatable snacks (eg, keeping snacks out of reach, not bringing snacks into the home), but less is known about the effects of these practices on children's eating and weight outcomes.

Objective: The objective was to identify distinct feeding practice profiles and evaluate the interactive effects of these profiles and girls' temperament (inhibitory control and approach) on girls' eating behaviors and weight outcomes at 5 and 7 y.

Design: Participants included 180 mother-daughter dyads; measures were mothers' reports of controlling feeding practices and girls' height and weight, eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) at 5 y, and inhibitory control (a measure of behavioral inhibition) and approach (a measure of appetitive motivation) at 7 y.

Results: Latent profile analysis of maternal feeding practices showed 4 feeding profiles based on maternal use of limit-setting practices and keeping snacks out of girls' physical reach, a restrictive practice: Unlimited Access to Snacks, Sets Limits+Does Not Restrict Snacks, Sets Limits+Restricts High Fat/Sugar Snacks, and Sets Limits+Restricts All Snacks. Girls whose mothers used Sets Limits+Restricts All Snacks had a higher approach and EAH at 5 y. Low inhibitory control girls whose mothers used Sets Limits+Restricts All Snacks or Unlimited Access to Snacks had greater increases in EAH and body mass index (BMI) from 5 to 7 y.

Conclusions: Effects of maternal control on girls' EAH and BMI may differ by the type of practice used (eg, limit-setting or restrictive practices). Girls with low inhibitory control were more susceptible to the negative effects of low and high control.

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Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.
Mean (±SE) change in girls’ EAH from age 5 to 7 y by maternal controlling feeding profiles and level of inhibitory control (n = 180). EAH is expressed as a percentage of available calories consumed in the EAH protocol (2). Inhibitory control moderated the effect of profile membership on girls’ EAH at age 7 y (ANCOVA: F[155,3] = 2.06, P < 0.10), after adjustment for girls’ EAH at age 5 y, maternal education, and BMI and family income. Girls were divided by using median splits: low inhibitory control (mean ± SD: 4.4 ± 0.6) and high inhibitory control (5.5 ± 0.4). Adjusted paired comparisons showed that girls with low inhibitory control with the Sets Limits+Restricts All Snacks profile had a greater increase in EAH than did girls with high inhibitory control with the same profile (*P < 0.05). Sample size is shown by profile and level of inhibitory control (low/high). EAH, eating in the absence of hunger.
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2.
Mean (±SE) percent change in girls’ BMI percentile from age 5 to 7 y by maternal controlling feeding profiles and level of inhibitory control (n = 180). Inhibitory control moderated the effect of profile membership on girls’ BMI at age 7 (ANCOVA: F[165,3] = 3.28, P < 0.05), after adjustment for girls’ BMI at age 5 y, maternal education, and BMI and family income. Girls were divided by using median splits: low inhibitory control (mean ± SD: 4.4 ± 0.6) and high inhibitory control (5.5 ± 0.4). Adjusted paired comparisons showed that low inhibitory control girls in the Unlimited Access to Snack Foods profile or the Sets Limits+Does Not Restrict Snack Foods profiles had a greater change in BMI scores than did high inhibitory control girls within the same profiles (*P < 0.05). Analyses were conducted by using percent change in raw BMI scores, which was permissible given that the sample was of the same age and sex. Sample size is shown by profile and level of inhibitory control (low or high).
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