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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Young children's eating behaviors: the link with fathers' and mothers' feeding practices

subject

description

National audience; Parental feeding practices can promote healthy eating from a very young age. A profound understanding of the precise e_ect of these practices on both the qualitative (e.g., food neophobia) and quantitative dimensions (e.g., self-regulation of intake) of a child's eating behavior is needed. Some practices potentially have a bene_cial e_ect on one dimension, but a deleterious e_ect on the other. More insights in the role of fathers in feeding are also needed. This study aims to (1) evaluate the di_erences and similarities between maternal and paternal feeding practices, (2) evaluate the impact of parental feeding practices on children's eating behaviors (qualitative and quantitative dimensions) and on their BMI, and (3) study the role of individual factors of the parents (e.g., external eating) and the child (e.g., inhibitory control) on parental practices and the child's eating behavior and BMI. Mothers and fathers of children aged 2-6 years _ll in a hard copy or online survey. Parental feeding practices and styles are measured with existing questionnaires (CFQ, CFPQ, FPSQ- 28, FSQ, and a self-regulation questionnaire of eating). Parental characteristics are measured with the Food Neophobia Scale and Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. The child's eating behaviors are measured with the Child Food Rejection Scale, Children's Eating Di_culties Questionnaire, and a self-regulation questionnaire of eating. The child's inhibitory control is measured with the Child Behavior Questionnaire. Maternal and paternal feeding practices are compared. Con_rmatory factor analyses are performed to evaluate the measures' quality, and measurement invariance between mothers and fathers is examined. Structural equation modeling (SEM), controlling for parental and child demographic variables, are conducted to estimate the e_ects of parental feeding strategies on children's eating behavior and BMI. The role of parental and child individual factors are examined by adding them to the SEM model. The _rst results are expected in summer 2019.