A Research Review on Type of Child Rearing Practices and Childhood Obesity

Parents can have an impact on their children's dietary behavior, habits, and attitudes toward diet through their own parenting practices. Due to rapid increase in the figures of childhood obesity researchers in public health and related sciences have recently turned to concentrate on the causes from the family environment, especially on parental child rearing practices and parental feeding styles. The purpose of this article is to review research studies focusing on the impact of child rearing practices on childhood obesity. 14 articles related to child rearing practices and obesity in children and youth, published in the Appetite journal within 10 years were reviewed. The content analysis technique was applied to analyze data. The results indicated that authoritative, supportive, and reasoning practices have a positive relationship with appropriate childhood dietary behavior and following nutritional rules. In addition, these practices also balanced the weight status of the children and youth. Authoritarian, control, and strict practices have adverse outcomes. Overeating, inappropriate diet and obesity were affected by the child rearing practices. Suggestions based on the findings propose that authoritative parenting, using authoritative, supportive and reasoning behavior, is the desirable for child rearing practice to inculcate childhood dietary behavior and normal weight status of children.