The benefits of authoritative feeding style: caregiver feeding styles and childrenʹs food consumption patterns

This research tested the associations between caregiver feeding styles and childrenʹs food consumption patterns among African–American (AA) and Hispanic (H) caregivers and their preschool children. Participants were 231 caregivers (101 AA; 130 H) with children enrolled in Head Start. Caregivers completed questionnaires on authoritarian and authoritative feeding styles (Caregiverʹs Feeding Styles Questionnaire; CFSQ) and various aspects of childrenʹs food consumption patterns (availability of, feeding attempts for, and childʹs consumption of dairy, fruit, and vegetables). Simultaneous multiple regression analyses tested the unique contribution of feeding styles in predicting food consumption patterns. Authoritative feeding was positively associated whereas authoritarian feeding was negatively associated with the availability of fruit and vegetables. Authoritative feeding was also positively associated with attempts to get the child to eat dairy, fruit, and vegetables, and reported child consumption of dairy and vegetables. Authoritarian feeding was negatively associated with childʹs vegetable consumption. All results remained significant after controlling for childʹs gender and body mass index (BMI), and caregiverʹs ethnicity, BMI, and level of education. Overall, results provide evidence for the benefits of authoritative feeding and suggest that interventions to increase childrenʹs consumption of dairy, fruit, and vegetables should be targeted toward increasing caregiversʹ authoritative feeding behaviors.