Abstract

VIANA, Victor et al. Mother’s feeding control and weight status: results of the child feeding questionnaire. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2012, vol.13, n.2, pp.298-310. ISSN 1645-0086.

Mother's feeding attitudes are most important environmental factors of weight status in children, and its knowledge has to be considered in the managment of overweight. This research has as objectives: to validate The Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ), witch assesses parent's feeding attitudes, in a Portuguese sample; to study the importance of mothers’ feeding attitudes related to children’s weight status. Participantes were 292 mothers and their children aged 8 to 12 years. Mothers’ answered to CFQ and children were weighted and measured, BMI z scores were calculated. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were performed and the model fit indexes c²/df, RMSEA, CFI, TLI and NFI were obtained for 3 models. Alpha for the subscales ranged from 0.61 to 0.90. Perceived Feeding Responsibility and Monitoring presented no association with BMI Z scores; Pressure to Eat was inversely associated with this factor; all others suscales were positively associated with BMI z scores. We coclude that CFQ, with some modifications, is a reliable instrument to use in research in Portuguese population, and that mothers’ feeding attitudes are important factors of children’s eating behavior and weight status to include in the management of  obesity.

Keywords : Eating behavior; feeding control attitudes; children and adolescents obesity; confirmatory factor analysis.

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