The Role of Mothers’ Varied Parenting Styles in Childhood Obesity

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of mothers' democratic, authoritarian, permissive, and overprotective parenting styles in childhood obesity and mothers' perception of their children's body weight. Method: The research was cross-sectional in design, and a total of 94 children aged between two and six years were included, together with their mothers. Mothers were administered the Parental Attitude Scale, and children's Body Mass Index (BMI) was classified using age- gender-specific tables of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). The effect of mothers' parental attitudes on their children's BMI groups was evaluated. However, mothers matched their child's appearance to the appearance they thought corresponded to the age and gender-specific weight plot and mothers' weight perceptions were evaluated. Results: The prevalence of overweight-obesity among children was found to be 19.2%. There wasn’t statistically difference between democratic, authoritarian, overprotective and permissive parenting styles and BMI categories of children (p=0.819, p=0.878, p=0.319, p=0.494). The mothers of overweight-obese children perceived their children as significantly overweight compared to other children (p<0.001), they associated their overweight-obese children with the normal body weight imagery. Mothers of children with a normal body weight also selected thinner child images to represent their own child. Conclusion: Mothers of children with normal body weight and overweight-obese BMI, perceived their children's body weight as thinner than it actually was. It’s recommended that mothers' perceptions of their children's body weight be assessed in well-child clinics. In cases where these perceptions are inaccurate, mothers should be informed and provided with educational materials.

Keywords

• Parenting style
• pediatric obesity
• weight perception

Çocukluk Çağı Obezitesinde Annelerin Farklı Ebeveyn Tutumlarının Rolü

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı annelerin demokratik, otoriter, izin verici ve aşırı korumacı ebeveyn tutumlarının çocukluk çağı obezitesindeki rolünü ve annelerin çocuklarının kilo durumuna ilişkin algısını değerlendirmektir. Metot: Araştırma kesitsel tipte olup, 2-6 yaş arası 94 çocuk anneleriyle birlikte çalışmaya dahil edildi. Annelere Ebeveyn Tutum Ölçeği uygulandı ve çocukların Beden Kitle İndeksi (BKİ), Uluslararası Obezite Çalışma Grubu'nun yaşa ve cinsiyete özel tabloları kullanılarak sınıflandırıldı. Annelerin ebeveyn tutumlarının, çocuklarının BKİ grupları üzerindeki etkisi değerlendirildi. Aynı zamanda anneler, çocuklarının görünümünü, yaşa ve cinsiyete özel ağırlık çiziminde, karşılık geldiğini düşündükleri görünümle eşleştirdi. Annelerin kilo algıları değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Çocukların %19,2'si fazla kilolu-obez olarak sınıflandırıldı. Annelerin demokratik, otoriter, aşırı korumacı ve izin verici ebeveyn tutumları ile çocukların BKİ kategorileri arasında anlamlı fark bulunmadı (p=0,819, p=0,878, p=0,319, p=0,494). Fazla kilolu-obez çocukların anneleri, çocuklarını diğer çocuklara göre anlamlı derecede kilolu olarak algılamakla birlikte (p<0,001), fazla kilolu-obez çocuklarını normal kilo çizimi ilişkilendirdiler. Benzer durum, normal ağırlıktaki çocukların annelerinde de görülmüş olup çocuklarını olduklarından daha zayıf çocuk çizimleri ile eşleştirdiler. Sonuç: Annelerin ebeveyn tutumlarının, çocuklarının BKİ kategorileri üzerinde etkisi olmadığı görüldü ancak normal ve fazla kilolu-obez çocukların annelerinin, çocuklarını olduğundan daha zayıf görme eğiliminde olduğu saptandı. Sağlam çocuk kliniklerinde annelerin kilo algıları değerlendirilmelidir, hatalı algılamaları durumunda anneler bilgilendirilmeli, konuyla ilgili eğitim broşürleri verilmelidir.

Keywords

• Ebeveyn tutumu
• pediatrik obezite
• kilo algısı

References

1. 1. World Health Organization. Obesity and overweight. [Internet]. 2024 March [cited 2024 June 20]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
2. 2. Simmonds M, Lewellyn A, Owen CG, Duffy, S, Woolacott, N. Predicting adult obesity from childhood obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews. 2016;17(2):95-107.
3. 3. Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health Public Health Institution. Turkish Healthy Nutrition and Active Life Programme 2013-2017. Ministry of Health, Ankara. 2017 Publish No: 773.
4. 4. Köksal G, Özel HG. Obesity in the preschool years. Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health, Ankara. 2012; Publish No: 729.
5. 5. Wake M, Nicholson JM, Hardy P, Smith K. Preschooler Obesity and Parenting Styles of Mothers and Fathers. Australian National Population Study Pediatrics. 2007;120(6):1520-7.
6. 6. Çöp E, Çengel Kültür SE, Şenses Dinç G. Association Between Parenting Styles and Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Turkish Journal of Psychiatry. 2017;28(1):25-32.
7. 7. Baumrind D. Effects of Authoritative Parental Control on Child Behavior. Child Development. 1966;37(4):887-907.
8. 8. Levy D Maternal overprotection, New York, The Norton Library, W.W. Norton and Company Inc. 1966.

9. 9. Öztoprak Hacıoğlu SD. The Effect Of Healthy Life Approaches Applied To Families of Children in Preschool Education On Obesity and Healthy Life Behaviour [master’s thesis]. [Izmir (TR)]: University of Dokuz Eylül; 2015.
10. 10. Edem P. Obesity Prevalence And Risk Factors In 3-6 Years Old Children Living in Central Districts of The Metropolitan [master’s thesis]. [Izmir (TR)]: University of Dokuz Eylül; 2013.
11. 11. Karabulut DE. Psychology, Parenting Attitude Scale (PAS). Turkish Psychological Articles. 2008;11(21):26-7.
12. 12. Eckstein KC, Mikhail LM, Ariza AJ, Thomson JS, Millard SC, Binns HJ. Pediatric Practice Research Group. Parents' perceptions of their child's weight and health. Pediatrics. 2006;117(3):681-90.
13. 13. Stierman B, Afful J, Carroll MD, Chen T, Davy O, Fink S et al. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017–March 2020 prepandemic data files development of files and prevalence estimates for selected health outcomes. Natl Health Stat Report. 2021;158.
14. 14. Kızıltan G, Oral EA. The effect of parents and grandparents on preschool children's nutritional behaviors. Mersin University Journal of Health Sciences. 2024;17(1):66–74.
15. 15. Demir Ş, Durduran Y. The relationship between nutrition and rest status and overweight in five-year-old children. Journal ofInfant, Child and Adolescent Health. 2023;3(3):140-8.
16. 16. 16.Oğuz Ş, Önay Derin D. An investigation of some nutrition habits of 60-72 month-old children. Elementary Education Online. 2013;12(2):498‐511.
17. 17. Kerkez Fİ, Tutal V, Akçınar F. Body Image Perceptions and Body Dissatisfaction Among Preschoolers. Hacettepe Journal of Sport Sciences. 2013;24(3):234–44.
18. 18. Garipağaoğlu M, Budak N, Sut N, Akdikmen O, Oner N, Bundak R. Obesity Risk Factors in Turkish Children. J Ped Nursing. 2009;24(4):332-37.
19. 19. Assari S, Bazargan M, Chalian M. Unequal Effect of Income on Risk of Overweight / Obesity of Whites and Blacks with Knee Osteoarthritis; The Osteoarthritis Initiative. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2020;7(4):776–84.
20. 20. Rogers R, Eagle TF, Sheetz A. The Relationship between Childhood Obesity, Low Socioeconomic Status, and Race/Ethnicity: Lessons from Massachusetts. Child Obes. 2011;11(6):691–5.
21. 21. Seum T, Meyrose AK, Rabel M, Schienkiewitz A, Ravens-Sieberer U. Pathways of Parental Education on Children's and Adolescent's Body Mass Index: The Mediating Roles of Behavioral and Psychological Factors. Front Public Health. 2022;7(10):763-89.
22. 22. Zhao Y, Wang L, Xue H, Wang H, Wang Y. Fast food consumption and its associations with obesity and hypertension among children: results from the baseline data of the Childhood Obesity Study in China Mega-cities. BMC Public Health. 2017;17(1):933.
23. 23. Saglam H, Tarim O. Prevalence and correlates of obesity in schoolchildren from the city of Bursa, Turkey. J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol. 2008;1(2):80.
24. 24. American Academy of Pediatrics. Committee on Communications. Children, adolescents and television. Pediatrics. 2001;107(2): 423-6.
25. 25. Olvera, N, Power T. Brief Report: Parenting Styles and Obesity in Mexican American Children: A Longitudinal Study, Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 2010;35(3):243–9.
26. 26. Peker E, Topaloğlu N, Şahin EM, Eşsizoğlu E, Uludağ A, Güngör S et al. The comparison of parents’ perception on weight, appearance and appetite of their children with objective criteria. Turkish journal of family practice. 2014;18(3):142-8.
27. 27. Black JA, Park M, Gregson J, Falconer CL, White B, Kessel AS et al. Child obesity cut-offs as derived from parental perceptions. British Journal of General Practice. 2015;65(633):234-9.
28. 28. Muhammad NA, Omar K, Shah SA, Muthupalaniappen LAP, Arshad F. Parental perception of their children's weight status, and its association with their nutrition and obesity knowledge. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2008;17(4):597-602.