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. 2025 Jan 6;17(1):195.
doi: 10.3390/nu17010195.

Maternal Perception and Childhood Overweight: Examining Parenting Styles and Eating Behaviors Among Preschoolers: A Cross-Sectional Study from Samsun, Türkiye

Refia Gözdenur Savcı  1   2 , Sıddıka Songül Yalçın  2
Affiliations

Maternal Perception and Childhood Overweight: Examining Parenting Styles and Eating Behaviors Among Preschoolers: A Cross-Sectional Study from Samsun, Türkiye

Refia Gözdenur Savcı et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: Accurate maternal perceptions of children's weight status are crucial for early childhood obesity prevention, with evidence suggesting that maternal misperception may delay timely interventions. This study investigated the accuracy of maternal perceptions of child weight and examined associations with parenting styles and children's eating behaviors and demographic factors among preschool-aged children in Samsun, Türkiye.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 318 mother-child pairs recruited from preschools in socio-economically diverse areas of Samsun. Maternal perceptions of child weight status were assessed using a visual scale, while children's anthropometric measurements (height, weight) were recorded to calculate BMI-for-age Z-scores. Parenting styles and children's eating behaviors were evaluated using the Parental Attitude Scale (PAS) and the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), respectively. Data analysis involved chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression to explore associations between maternal perception accuracy, parenting styles, and children's eating behaviors.

Results: Among 318 mother-child pairs, 59.7% underestimated their child's weight status, with this figure being 84.9% among overweight children. Authoritative parenting was the most common style (78%); no significant association was found between parenting style and maternal perception accuracy. Accurate estimators showed significantly higher scores for food responsiveness (median: 9 (7-12), p = 0.028) and the enjoyment of food (mean: 16.3 ± 4.8, p = 0.003), whereas underestimators scored higher for satiety responsiveness (mean: 23.2 ± 5.7, p = 0.042) and slowness in eating (mean: 11.2 ± 4.2, p = 0.004).

Conclusions: Maternal underestimations of child weight are prevalent, particularly for overweight children, are associated with children's specific eating behaviors. Targeted educational interventions focusing on improving maternal awareness and promoting responsive feeding practices are essential to combat childhood obesity.

Keywords: childhood obesity; children’s eating behaviors; maternal perception; nurturing care; parenting styles.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Participant flow diagram: illustrating selection and exclusion process.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Association between maternal perception of child size and BAZs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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