The influence of parental control over child's weight on child's BMI and weight-related attitudes after 2 years

Lee, Kayoung; Song, Yun Mi

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cross-sectional studies have shown negative relationship between parent's eating restriction for their child and child's adiposity. This prospective cohort study examined the relationships between parents' control over adolescent's weight at the ages of 11~12 with adolescent's BMI and weight-related attitudes 2 years later.
METHODS
422 parents and their children at the ages of 11~12 years in 2001 from 5 elementary schools, Busan, participated in this study. Parents completed a survey about their control over their child's weight and children answered to questionnaire about weight-related attitudes (body dissatisfaction, eating attitude, and attempt to diet) 2 years later. children weights and heights were measured at the ages of 11~12 years and 2 years later. Boys or girls' weight status at baseline was classified into overweight and non-overweight by International Obesity Task Force guideline.
RESULTS
Twenty three percent of parents tried to lose their children weight. Sixty five percent of children who were controlled over their weight by their parents were overweight at baseline. Whereas overweight girls were more likely to favor slender body shape compared to overweight boys (P<0.05), there was no difference in eating attitude between overweight boys and girls. Although in overweight boys, those who were controlled over weight by parents had greater BMI at baseline than those who were not controlled by parents (P<0.05), there were no differences in boys or girls' BMI after 2 years, BMI difference over 2 years, and weight-related attitudes after 2 years according to parent's control over child's weight.
CONCLUSIONS
This prospective cohort study suggests parental control over child's weight may not influence on BMI and weight-related attitudes after 2years in boys or girls in early adolescent period.