Comparing disordered eating and feeding practices in African American and Caucasian treatment-seeking youth with obesity

Objectives: Examine racial differences in disordered eating and parental feeding in youth with obesity. Methods: A diverse sample of 131 treatment-seeking youth (M-age = 12.84 years; Range(age) = 8-18 years; 65.6% African American, 34.4% Caucasian) with obesity (M-BMIz = 2.60) completed a disordered eating questionnaire; parents completed a questionnaire about feeding practices. Results: No significant differences in disordered eating between African American and Caucasian youth emerged. Significant differences were found on parent feeding where parents of African American children endorsed more frequent use of pressure to eat, including ensuring and monitoring enough is eaten. Conclusions: Generally, comparisons of disordered eating and parent feeding practices between African American and Caucasian youth with obesity were not significant. Racial differences on some aspects of parental feeding practices were found. Future research should identify cultural factors impacting these differences. Clinical implications include providing culturally sensitive psychoeducation and interventions to address unhealthy feeding practices in diverse families.