Factors associated with feeding behaviors among mothers of obese infants: a cross-sectional study

Background: Infant obesity is a risk factor for diseases in childhood and even in adulthood. Maternal feeding behaviors are strongly associated with infant obesity, hence factors relevant to mother's perception, socioeconomic status, and social support that influence the feeding behaviors need to be explored. Therefore, this study aimed to examine associated factors of feeding behaviors among mothers with obese infants. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the pediatric wards of a tertiary hospital in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. Participants (n=134) were mothers of infant with obesity aged 6-12 months. Data were collected by structured questionnaires. Maternal feeding characteristics and the relationship between mothers' age, monthly personal income, parental self-efficacy, social support, benefits of maternal feeding behaviors, barriers to maternal feeding behaviors and feeding behaviors were examined. The Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. Results: Most of the infants (84.3%) was in the 98th-100th percentile. Nearly half of the mothers were 30-39 years old and unemployed (46.3%). One-third (61.40%) were multiparous mothers and 73.1% cared for their infants for more than 6 hours per day. Monthly personal income, parenting self-efficacy and social support together explained 28% of variance on feeding behaviors (P<0.05). Parenting self-efficacy (beta=0.309, P<0.05) and social support (beta=0.224, P<0.05) had significantly positive influence on feeding behaviors. Maternal personal income (beta=-0.196, P<0.05) had a significantly negative influence on feeding behaviors among mothers having infants with obesity. Conclusions: Nursing interventions should be focused on enhancing parenting self-efficacy and promoting social support for the feeding behaviors of mothers.