Interaction Effects of Child Weight Status and Parental Feeding Practices on Children’s Eating Disorder Symptomatology

• Main Authors: Ricarda Schmidt, Andreas Hiemisch, Wieland Kiess, Anja Hilbert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-10-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: loss of control eating; eating disorders; feeding strategies; children; population; family
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/10/2433

(1) Background: Research on parental feeding practices and non-normative eating behavior including loss of control (LOC) eating and eating disorder psychopathology indicated separate associations of these variables with child weight status, especially in early childhood. This study cross-sectionally examined interaction effects of restriction, monitoring, pressure to eat, and children&#8217;s weight status on disordered eating in children aged 8&#8722;13 years. (2) Methods: A population-based sample of <i>N</i> = 904 children and their mothers completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire for Children and the Child Feeding Questionnaire. Child anthropometrics were objectively measured. Hierarchical linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted for cross-sectionally predicting global eating disorder psychopathology and recurrent LOC eating by feeding practices and child weight status for younger (8&#8722;10 years) and older (11&#8722;13 years) ages. (3) Results: Restriction x Child weight status significantly predicted global eating disorder psychopathology in younger children and recurrent LOC eating in older children. Monitoring x Child weight status significantly predicted eating disorder psychopathology in older children. A higher versus lower child weight status was associated with adverse eating behaviors, particularly in children with mothers reporting high restriction and monitoring. (4) Conclusions: Detrimental associations between higher child weight status and child eating disorder symptomatology held especially true for children whose mothers strongly control child food intake.