A Structural Equation Modelling Approach to Understanding Influences of Maternal and Family Characteristics on Feeding Practices in Young Children

BACKGROUND: The family environment is influential for a child's healthy development through parent and sibling influences on feeding practices. Multiple-child households may protect against unhealthy feeding practices, but additional children contribute to higher maternal stress. Households of married parents may decrease maternal stress by sharing parental demands. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the collective influence of maternal stress, marital status, and number of children on feeding practices. METHODS: Mothers of 2- to 5-y-old children (n = 278) were recruited mainly on a university campus and completed an online survey to examine associations between maternal stress (Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale), number of children, marital status, and feeding practices (restriction and pressure to eat; Child Feeding Questionnaire). Relationships were examined through the use of multivariate regression and structural equation modelling. RESULTS: A mainly married (85%) and Caucasian (73%) sample participated, with most mothers reporting multiple children [2 children (45%) or ≥3 children (24%)]. Marital status was not associated with either feeding practice, i.e., restriction and pressure to eat (P < 0.05). In adjusted models, maternal stress (β = 0.04, SE = 0.01, P = 0.003) and number of children (β = 0.24, SE = 0.08, P = 0.003) in the household individually contributed to higher feeding restriction; their interaction resulted in lower feeding restriction (β = −0.01, SE = 0.05, P = 0.005). In stratified models, maternal stress was associated with restriction in single-child households (β = −0.03, SE = 0.009, P = 0.002), but not multiple-child households (β = −0.004, SE = 0.005, P = 0.40). CONCLUSIONS: Number of children had no effect on feeding practices individually, but may contribute to a less restrictive feeding environment. Additional investigation into creating less stressful and more positive feeding environments for all mothers can lead to healthier mothers and families.