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Session: Exploring Key Contributors to Behavior Change (Poster Theater Flash Session 4)

(PTFS04-06-24) The Effect of Child Picky Eating on Parental Feeding Style in SNAP and Non-SNAP Families With Preschool (3–5 Age) Children

Sunday, June 30, 2024
8:20 AM – 8:24 AM CT
Location:  Hall F1 (The Hub) - Poster Theater

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Sara Ghasem Pour, Master

    Graduate research assistant
    University of Wyoming
    Laramie, Wyoming, United States

    Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

    • Co-Author(s)

  • GS

    Grace Shearrer

    University of Wyoming, United States

Objectives: The present study examined the relationship between child picky eating and parental feeding style and the moderating effect of participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC). We also tested the interaction of child picky eating and parental feeding styles on child BMI percentile (BMI%).

Methods: We recruited 173 parent-child dyads, to complete the child eating behavior questionnaire (CEBQ) to assess picky eating behaviors, the parental feeding style questionnaire (PFSQ) to identify feeding styles (controlling, emotional, encouragement, instrumental), and a demographic survey to indicate use of SNAP or WIC benefits. Child BMI was measured using standard NHANES protocols for height and weight, and BMI% was calculated using CDC 2000 growth charts. We used linear regression models to test the direct associations. To test the moderation, we created an interaction term SNAP/WIC by parental feeding style. Significance was set as p< 0.05, and statistics reported as beta values ± standard error.

Results: Parents participating in SNAP/WIC reported using more controlling feeding styles (p < 0.001) and their children exhibited more picky eating behaviors compared to non-SNAP/WIC participants (p < 0.001). Emotional (2.58 ±0.86, p < 0.01), instrumental (1.39 ±0.51, p < 0.01), and controlling (2.65 ±1.06, p = 0.01) parental feeding styles were positively related to child picky eating in SNAP/WIC families. Use of SNAP/WIC moderated the relationship between child picky eating and controlling feeding style (2.65 ±1.06, p = 0.01), in that for the same level of picky eating, families using SNAP/WIC used a more controlling feeding style compared to families who did not use SNAP/WIC (1.01 ±0.5, p = 0.04). We did not see an effect of the interaction of child picky eating by parental feeding style on child BMI% (p >0.05).

Conclusions: Families using SNAP/WIC use higher controlling feeding styles if their child is a picky eater. The causality of this relationship must be further studied. Although we did not see an effect on child BMI%, controlling feeding is associated with future negative eating behaviors for children. Thus, in families using SNAP/WIC may need additional strategies to ameliorate picky eating.

Funding Sources: N/A