Is parental control over children's eating associated with childhood obesity? Results from a population-based sample of third graders

Objective: Identifying parental behaviors that influence childhood obesity is critical for the development of effective prevention and treatment progr ams. Findings from a prior laboratory study suggest that parents who impose control over their children's eating may interfere with their children's a bility to regulate intake, potentially resulting in overweight. These findi ngs have been widely endorsed; however, the direct relationship between par ental control of children's intake and their children's degree of overweigh t has not been shown in a generalized sample. Research Methods and Procedures: This study surveyed 792 third-grade childr en with diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds from 13 public element ary schools. Parental control over children's intake was assessed through t elephone interviews using a state-of-the-art instrument, and children were measured for height, weight, and triceps skinfold thickness. Results: Counter to the hypothesis, parental control over children's intake was inversely associated with overweight in girls, as measured by body mas s index, r = -0.12, p < 0.05, and triceps skinfolds, r = -0.11,p < 0.05. Th is weak relationship became only marginally significant when con-trolling f or parents' perceptions of their own weight, level of household education, and children's age. No relationship between parental control of children's intake and their children's degree of overweight was found in boys. Discussion: previous observations of tile influence of parental control ove r children's intake in middle-class white families did not generalize to 8- to 9-year-olds in families with diverse socioeconomic and ethnic backgroun ds. The present findings reveal a more complex relationship between parenta l behaviors and children's weight status.