The Effect Of Maternal Beliefs And Behavior On The Body Weight Status Of Preschool-Aged Children

THE EFFECT OF MATERNAL BELIEFS AND BEHAVIOR ON THE BODYWEIGHT STATUS OF PRESCHOOL-AGED CHILDRENbyNICOLE BOUCHERMay 2013Advisor: Dr. Rosalind PetersMajor: NursingDegree: Doctor of PhilosophyEarly onset pediatric obesity has become a major health concern in the UnitedStates. Pediatric obesity can lead to childhood hypertension, type II diabetes, andorthopedic problems. Currently, in the United States one in seven low-income preschoolsare overweight or obese. One of the key contributing factors to early onset childhoodobesity is how children are socialized to the eating and mealtime environment. Maternalfeeding styles play an integral role in how children are socialized to the eating andmealtime environment.The purpose of the this study was to determine the extent to which maternalbeliefs and behavior regarding the child’s body weight status influenced the child’s actualweight beyond the known risk factors for childhood obesity. To test the centralhypothesis of the study four specific aims were pursued.Guided by the theory of dependent-care the study utilized a descriptivecorrelational research design. The sample was 126 mother/child dyads recruited from asoutheastern Michigan Head Start program. Each mother completed a research packetthat contained a demographic data sheet, a maternal beliefs survey, a child activity