The impact of feeding styles on unhealthy dietary intakes and weight-for-length z-scores: Investigating sweet beverages and snack food consumption during early childhood in a diverse sample.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2026
Identifier
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2025.108319
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Parental feeding styles shape children's dietary choices and weight.
OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationships between parental feeding styles, sweet beverages and snack foods intakes, and weight-for-length z-scores (WFLz) in young children.
METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis included 96 mother-child dyads (mean child age = 14.9 months, SD = 2.6). Mothers completed the Infant Feeding Styles Questionnaire, assessing five styles: responsive, restrictive, pressuring, indulgent, and laissez-faire. Three 24-h dietary recalls were analyzed using the Nutrition Data System for Research. Dietary components were categorized as sweet beverages (e.g., sugar-sweetened beverages, 100 % juice) and snack foods (e.g., cookies, chips). Child height and weight were measured. Multivariable linear regressions examined associations between feeding styles, unhealthy dietary intake, and child WFLz, adjusting for covariates.
RESULTS: Pressuring feeding style was positively associated with mean frequency (β = 0.39, p < 0.001), mean energy (β = 0.34, p = 0.003), and % energy (β = 0.38, p < 0.001) from sweet beverages, but negatively associated with mean frequency (β = -0.24, p = 0.034) and % energy (β = -0.22, p = 0.044) from snack foods. Restrictive feeding style was negatively associated with mean energy (β = -0.24, p = 0.036) and % energy (β = -0.23, p = 0.05) from snack foods. Higher mean frequency (β = 0.38, p = 0.002), mean energy (β = 0.37, p = 0.003), and % energy from sweet beverages (β = 0.35, p = 0.004) were associated with higher child WFLz. The effect of sweet beverages on child WFLz was not mediated by pressuring feeding style.
CONCLUSIONS: The contrasting associations of pressuring feeding with sweet beverage and snack consumption highlight the need for nuanced approaches in addressing parental feeding practices to mitigate obesity risk in early childhood.
Journal Title
Appetite
Volume
216
First Page
108319
Last Page
108319
MeSH Keywords
Humans; Snacks; Female; Cross-Sectional Studies; Male; Sugar-Sweetened Beverages; Feeding Behavior; Infant; Body Weight; Energy Intake; Diet; Beverages; Parenting; Surveys and Questionnaires; Adult; Child, Preschool; Mothers; Food Preferences
PubMed ID
40983283
Keywords
Snacks; Cross-Sectional Studies; ugar-Sweetened Beverages; Feeding Behavior; Body Weight; Energy Intake; Diet; Beverages; Parenting; Surveys and Questionnaires; Mothers; Food Preferences
Recommended Citation
Serwatka CA, Smith LM, Moore AM, et al. The impact of feeding styles on unhealthy dietary intakes and weight-for-length z-scores: Investigating sweet beverages and snack food consumption during early childhood in a diverse sample. Appetite. 2026;216:108319. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2025.108319
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