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. 2015 Apr;23(4):840-6.
doi: 10.1002/oby.20986. Epub 2015 Mar 9.

The relationship between acculturation and infant feeding styles in a Latino population

Liz D Dancel  1 , Eliana Perrin, Shonna H Yin, Lee Sanders, Alan Delamater, Krista M Perreira, Andrea B Bronaugh, Svetlana Eden, Ayumi Shintani, Russell L Rothman
Affiliations

The relationship between acculturation and infant feeding styles in a Latino population

Liz D Dancel et al. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the relationship between parental acculturation and infant feeding style in a sample of Latino parents.

Methods: A post hoc analysis was performed using data from an ongoing four-site randomized controlled trial to promote early childhood obesity prevention. Cross-sectional data of parent-child dyads at the 12-month well-child visit who self-reported their Latino ethnicity were analyzed. The Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH) and a subset of the Infant Feeding Style Questionnaire (IFSQ) that assessed four primary feeding styles were administered. SASH level (low vs. high) with each feeding style was compared by analyses.

Results: Complete SASH data were available for 398 of 431 Latino dyads. Median SASH score was 1.8 (IQR 1.4-2.7); 82% of participants had low acculturation (score < 3). Of the nine outcome variables, four were significantly associated with SASH: "Laissez-Faire/attention" (AOR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.06-5.13; P = 0.004), "Laissez-Faire/diet quality" (AOR: 3.9; 95% CI: 1.7-8.75; P = 0.005), "Pressuring as soothing" (AOR: 3.6; 95% CI:1.63-8.05; P = 0.007), and "Restrictive/diet quality" (AOR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.19-0.94; P = 0.031).

Conclusions: Latino parents with lower acculturation were more likely than those with higher acculturation to endorse feeding styles that are associated with child obesity. Further research is needed to determine why acculturation and feeding style relate.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Study enrollment characteristics of those at the 12 month visit
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Study enrollment characteristics of those at the 12 month visit
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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