Feeding behaviors of low-income mothers: directive control relates to a lower BMI in children, and a nondirective control relates to a healthier diet in preschoolers.

BACKGROUND: A topic of interest in the etiology of child obesity is whether and how parental feeding behaviors are associated with the food intake and weight status of children. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to explore whether and how directive (overt) and nondirective (covert and food environmental structure) types of parental feeding control were associated with children's food intake and weight status. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional exploratory study using structural equation modeling to determine directional associations between maternal feeding practices and children's food intake and weight status. Researchers collected data from 330 dyads of children aged 3-5 y and mothers participating in a federal preschool program for low-income families (Head Start) in Michigan. The mothers' feeding practices (directive and nondirective control), the children's food intakes, and the height and weight of both the mothers and children were measured. Structural equation models tested the relations between maternal feeding practices, the children's food intake, and weight status. RESULTS: The structural equation model confirmed that children's weight status was inversely associated with mothers' directive control, and mothers' nondirective control was associated with children's intakes of more nutrient-dense foods and less energy-dense foods. No association was found between the mothers' directive control and the children's food intakes. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers' use of nondirective feeding practices was associated with children's intakes of more nutrient-dense foods. However, use of more directive feeding control was associated with lower weight status in preschoolers of low-income mothers. These findings need to be examined in longitudinal studies. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01525186.

Maternal parenting behaviors during childhood relate to weight status and fruit and vegetable intake of college students.

OBJECTIVE: Examine how maternal parenting behaviors in childhood, both general and feeding specific, relate to weight status and fruit and vegetable consumption in college students. DESIGN: Retrospective surveys on maternal behaviors and assessments on the college-aged child's current anthropometric measures and dietary intakes. PARTICIPANTS: College students (n = 424; 66% women). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Students' weight, height, waist circumference, fruit and vegetable intakes, students' reports on mothers' general and feeding-specific parenting behaviors during childhood. ANALYSIS: Correlation and regression analyses tested how maternal behaviors in childhood related to students' body mass index, waist circumference, and fruit and vegetable intake. RESULTS: Mothers' psychological control during childhood was associated with higher body mass index and waist circumference in students, and behavioral control was associated with lower waist circumference. Parent-centered feeding behaviors related to lower fruit and vegetable intakes of students, whereas child-centered feeding behaviors related to higher fruit and vegetable intakes. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings suggest that parental use of behavioral control and child-centered feeding practices and minimal use of psychological control and parent-centered feeding practices during childhood may promote a child's healthful weight status and fruit and vegetable consumption in young adulthood, specifically during college.

Confirmatory factor analysis of a questionnaire measuring control in parental feeding practices in mothers of Head Start children.

Parental control in child feeding has focused primarily on directive types of control, such as pressure to eat and food restriction. This study aimed to develop an instrument to assess other types of directive control and two additional aspects of parental child feeding, non-directive and food environmental control. Mothers of Head Start children (n=330) completed a 29-item instrument designed to assess these three feeding constructs and reported their children's food intakes. Researchers measured heights and weights of both mothers and children. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the model with three constructs did not provide an acceptable fit to the data, but an alternative model with seven sub-constructs did (Chi-square=330, df=228 p<.05, CFI=.942, RMSEA=.037). The latter model included 24 items loading onto one of the following seven factors: high control, high contingency, child-centered feeding, encouraging nutrient-dense foods, discouraging energy-dense foods, mealtime behaviors, and timing of meals. By allowing researchers to quantitatively measure feeding practices in parents with limited resources, this instrument may contribute to an improved understanding of how parental child feeding behaviors can influence children's food intakes and weight status.

[Intake and excretion of cadmium and iron balance and influence of dietary habits among young women].

OBJECTIVE: Absorption of cadmium is increased by deficiency of iron in animals, but it is uncertain that the same phenomenon occurs in humans. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between cadmium and iron in the body and to evaluate the influence of dietary habits. METHODS: Twenty-five healthy women, aged 20-23 years, were selected by excluding those with renal disease and habitual constipation. They participated in the dietary intervention study to estimate tolerable weekly intake of Cd for 3 weeks in the same dormitory. At 3 months before, at 0 Day, at the 12th Day of the study and 9 months after the study, health check-ups were performed, and Cd in the blood and urine, hemoglobin (Hb), serum iron (iron) and serum ferritin (ferritin) were measured. RESULTS: Cd concentration in the blood (B-Cd) showed a significant correlation with Cd concentration in the urine (U-Cd), and inverse correlation with the body iron storage, such as Hb, iron and ferritin. A food frequency questionnaire showed that no subject showed insufficient dietary intake of iron. Subjects who had eaten grain, millet and brown rice showed higher levels of B-Cd and U-Cd and low levels of Hb, iron and ferritin. CONCLUSION: Absorption of Cd tended to increase according to a low level of body iron storage among healthy young women.

Intake of phytochemicals among Japanese, calculated by the new FFF database.

Effects of phytochemicals on human health are suggested from various animal experiments, but human studies remain insufficient. We have constructed a database of various phytochemicals (polyphenols, carotenoids, and sulphur compounds) (http://www.life-science.jp/fff/) and estimated the amount of intake among Japanese population. The subjects were volunteers (16 males and 63 females, averagely aged 71 and 61, respectively) in Iwate city. Average BMI was 23 in both sexes. Intake of 36 phytochemicals was calculated from one-day dietary records of all intake, by multiplying concentrations of each phytochemical in foods. Phytochemicals with average intake of at least 10 micromole per day were catechin, isoflavones, isothiocyanate, ferulic acid, quercetin, cinnamic acid and chlorogenic acid. Chief component analysis yielded 12 factors (80%).

Phytochemical intake and relationship to past health history in Japanese women.

We calculated functional food factor (FFF) intakes using a new database and examined their relationship to health conditions commonly affecting Japanese women in midlife. One-day DRs were collected weekly for 6 months from 67 Japanese women, aged 45-55 yr, living in Kyoto prefecture, Japan. Macro- and micronutrient and FFF intake were calculated from the resulting 1528 DRs. Factor analysis and logistic regression were performed to identify relationships between FFFs and past health history. Fourteen of 17 FFF factors, as well as age, BMI and menopausal status, exhibited both positive and negative correlations with past history of hypertension, diabetes, allergy, migraine, and menopausal syndrome.

Phase 1 study of multiple biomarkers for metabolism and oxidative stress after one-week intake of broccoli sprouts.

Little is known about the direct effect of broccoli sprouts on human health. So we investigated the effect of broccoli sprouts on the induction of various biochemical oxidative stress markers. Twelve healthy subjects (6 males and 6 females) consumed fresh broccoli sprouts (100 g/day) for 1 week for a phase 1 study. Before and after the treatment, biochemical examination was conducted and natural killer cell activity, plasma amino acids, plasma PCOOH (phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide), the serum coenzyme Q(10), urinary 8-isoprostane, and urinary 8-OHdG (8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine) were measured. With treatment, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol decreased, and HDL cholesterol increased significantly. Plasma cystine decreased significantly. All subjects showed reduced PCOOH, 8-isoprostane and 8-OHdG, and increased CoQ(10)H(2)/CoQ(10) ratio. Only one week intake of broccoli sprouts improved cholesterol metabolism and decreased oxidative stress markers.