Prospective associations between parental feeding practices and children's oral processing behaviours

Prospective associations between parental feeding practices and children's oral processing behaviours

Maternal & Child Nutrition

10.1111/mcn.12635

https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12635

Anna Fogel, Lisa R. Fries, Keri McCrickerd, Ai Ting Goh, Mei Jun Chan, Jia Ying Toh, Yap-Seng Chong, Kok Hian Tan, Fabian Yap, Lynette P. Shek, Michael J. Meaney, Birit F. P. Broekman, Yung Seng Lee, Keith M Godfrey, Mary Foong Fong Chong, Ciaran G. Forde

childhood obesity

27 July 2018

Fogel, A., Fries, L.R., McCrickerd, K., Goh, A. T, Chan, M.J., Toh, J.Y., Chong., YS., Tan, K.H., Yap, F., Shek, L.P., Meaney, M.J., Broekman, B.F.P., Lee, Y.S., Godfrey, K.M., Chong, M.F.F., and Forde, C.G. (2019). Prospective associations between parental feeding practices and children's oral processing behaviours. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 15(1), e12635. doi: 10.1111/mcn.12635

Previous research demonstrated that faster eating rates are linked with increased intake of energy during a meal. Here, we examined whether within-meal parental feeding practices show cross-sectional and prospective associations with children's oral processing behaviours and whether the previously demonstrated association between faster eating rates and higher energy intakes varies by parental feeding practices. A subset (n = 155) of children and their mothers from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes cohort participated in an ad libitum meal at age 4.5 years. Children's oral processing behaviours (eating rate, bite size, chews per gram, oral exposure time, and meal duration) and parental feeding practices (autonomy-supporting and coercive prompts, restrictions, hurrying, and slowing) were recorded during the meal. Subsequently, 94 of the children participated in a follow-up meal without their mothers at age 6 years. Parental feeding practices were not consistently associated with child oral processing behaviours overall. However, exploratory post hoc analyses revealed some sex differences. The mothers of girls with faster eating rates, larger bite sizes, and fewer chews were more likely to use hurrying, slowing, and restrictions, but similar associations were not observed among boys. Children who had the most problematic eating style and were eating fast and for long experienced more restrictions, instructions to slow down, and prompts. Faster eating rates were linked with the highest energy intakes if children were additionally prompted to eat. Prospective analyses showed that children who were more often prompted using coercive techniques and less frequently hurried at age 4.5 years had faster eating rates at 6 years and a larger increase in eating rates between ages 4.5 and 6 years but did not consume more energy. Although the direction of these associations cannot be assumed, these exploratory analyses suggest sex differences in the associations between feeding practices and oral processing behaviours and highlight the potential role of parents in the development of children's oral processing behaviours.

PublisherCopyrights

Translational Clinical Research (TCR) Flagship Program on Developmental Pathways to Metabolic Disease funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and administered by the National Medical Research Council (NMRC), Singapore, Grant/Award Number: NMRC/TCR/004‐NUS/2008; UK Medical Research Council, Grant/Award Number: MC_UU_12011/4; National Institute for Health Research, Grant/Award Number: NIHR Senior Investigator (NF‐SI‐0515‐ 10042); European Union's Erasmus+ Capacity‐ Building ENeASEA Project; Seventh Framework Programme, Grant/Award Number: FP7/ 2007‐2013; Early Nutrition, Grant/Award Number: n°289346; Nestle Research Centre‐ Epigen Collaboration fund, Grant/Award Number: G00067; BMSI/15‐300004‐SICS; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STAR.

The full paper is available for free download at the publisher's URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12635

https://oar.a-star.edu.sg/communities-collections/articles/16003

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Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences