Drivers of overweight mothers' food choice behaviors depend on child gender. (1st January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bouhlal, Sofia; McBride, Colleen M.; Ward, Dianne S.; Persky, Susan
• Is Part Of: Appetite. Volume 84(2015)
• Page Start: 154
• Page End: 160
• Publication Date: 2015-01-01
• Subjects: Overweight mothers -- Feeding behavior -- Body weight -- Child gender; Food habits -- Periodicals; Appetite -- Periodicals; Appetite disorders -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 306.4613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.09.024
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0195-6663

Abstract

Highlights: Overweight mothers chose a lunch for their child in a virtual reality-based buffet. Fewer factors predicted calories selected for sons, several did for daughters. Understanding differences in feeding could improve childhood obesity prevention. Abstract: Background: National data suggest a higher prevalence of obesity among boys. One possible cause could be the food choices made by parents on behalf of their children. Objectives: This study sought to determine whether and how mothers' food choices for their children differ by child gender and to understand the drivers of these differences. Design: Data were analyzed from a randomized controlled trial conducted using a virtual reality-based buffet restaurant. Overweight mothers filled out questionnaires and received an information module. They were then immersed in a virtual buffet restaurant to select a lunch for their 4- to 5-year-old child. Results: Of the 221 overweight mothers recruited, 55% identified their daughters as the child for whom they would be choosing the food. The caloric content of boys' meals was 43 calories higher than girls' ( p = .015). This difference was due to extra calories from the less healthy food category ( p = .04). Multivariate analyses identified more predictors of calorie choices for daughters' than sons' meals. Predictors of calories chosen for girls included: having both biological parents overweight (β = 0.26; p = .003), mother's weight (β = 0.17; p = .05), mother's education (β = −0.28; p = .001), her restriction of her child's food intake (β = −0.20; p = .02), and her beliefs about the importance of genetics in causing obesity (β = 0.19; p = .03). Mother's weight was the sole predictor of boys' meal calories (β = 0.20; p = .04). Conclusions: Differences in dietary choices made for young girls and boys may contribute to lifelong gender differences in eating patterns. A better understanding of differences in feeding choices made for girls versus boys could improve the design of childhood obesity prevention interventions.