Association between Parental Feeding Styles and Excess Weight, and Its Mediation by Diet, in Costa Rican Adolescents

Background: Whereas parental feeding styles (PFS) influence children's diet, less is known about this relationship in adolescents.

Methods: A cross-sectional study in 686 Costa Rican adolescents (13-18 years) evaluated 4 validated PFS scores: healthy eating verbal encouragement; scolding; directly controlling diet; instrumental/emotional. Diet was evaluated through 3-day food records, deriving a Traditional Costa Rica Adolescents Diet Score (TCRAD). Excess weight (EW) measured by BMI was dichotomized following standards. Regression-based mediation analysis estimated the overall and sex-stratified odds ratios of EW for natural direct (NDE), natural indirect (NIE), and total effects (TE) of the pathway PFS→TCRAD→EW.

Results: A one-unit increase in the direct control PFS score was associated with higher EW odds overall [(TE: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.04-2.31; p-value = 0.033), (NDE: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.02-2.27; p-value = 0.039)], and in boys [(TE: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.04-4.38; p-value = 0.039), (NDE: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.03-4.31; p-value = 0.042)]. Non-significant mediation by TCRAD was observed for the healthy eating verbal encouragement PFS overall (p-value = 0.06). Associations for the instrumental/emotional and scolding PFS were not significant.

Conclusions: Direct diet control from parents may contribute to adolescents' excess weight, particularly among boys. Parents encouraging healthy eating might support adolescents' healthy weight through a healthy diet. Longitudinal research should clarify the association between PFS and diet-related outcomes among diverse adolescents.