%0 Journal Article
%T Association between Children¡¯s Appetite Patterns and Maternal Feeding Practices
%A Tomomi Ainuki
%A Rie Akamatsu
%J Food and Nutrition Sciences
%P 228-234
%@ 2157-9458
%D 2011
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/fns.2011.23032
%X This study explored associations between children¡¯s appetites and maternal feeding practices. The participants, 614 parents of 3- to 6-year-old children from kindergartens in Tokyo, Japan, completed self-administered questionnaires. The children¡¯s appetites were measured using the Enjoyment of Food (EF) and Food Responsiveness (FR) scales of the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Using cluster analysis, we examined three appetite patterns (¡°both low,¡± ¡°high EF and low FR,¡± and ¡°both high¡±). The three appetite patterns were associated with children¡¯s obesity index. The ¡°both low¡± pattern was associated with the highest maternal pressure to eat. The ¡°high EF and low FR¡± patterns were related to an established snack time. The ¡°both high¡± pattern was associated with higher maternal instrumental feeding compared with the ¡°high EF and low FR¡± types. The results of this study will facilitate the development of targeted interventions and better parental guidance on maternal feeding practices and their association with children¡¯s eating behaviours.
%K Appetite
%K Preschool Children
%K Feeding Practices
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=4904