A Structural Equation Modelling Approach to Understanding Influences of Maternal and Family Characteristics on Feeding Practices in Young Children

The family environment is influential for a child's healthy development through parent and sibling influences on feeding practices. Multiple-child households may protect against unhealthy feeding practices, but additional children contribute to higher maternal stress. Households of married parents may decrease maternal stress by sharing parental demands. We aimed to evaluate the collective influence of maternal stress, marital status, and number of children on feeding practices. Mothers of 2- to 5-y-old children (n = 278) were recruited mainly on a university campus and completed an online survey to examine associations between maternal stress (Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale), number of children, marital status, and feeding practices (restriction and pressure to eat; Child Feeding Questionnaire). Relationships were examined through the use of multivariate regression and structural equation modelling. A mainly married (85%) and Caucasian (73%) sample participated, with most mothers reporting multiple children [2 children (45%) or ≥3 children (24%)]. Marital status was not associated with either feeding practice, i.e., restriction and pressure to eat (P < 0.05). In adjusted models, maternal stress (β = 0.04, SE = 0.01, P = 0.003) and number of children (β = 0.24, SE = 0.08, P = 0.003) in the household individually contributed to higher feeding restriction; their interaction resulted in lower feeding restriction (β = −0.01, SE = 0.05, P = 0.005). In stratified models, maternal stress was associated with restriction in single-child households (β = −0.03, SE = 0.009, P = 0.002), but not multiple-child households (β = −0.004, SE = 0.005, P = 0.40). Number of children had no effect on feeding practices individually, but may contribute to a less restrictive feeding environment. Additional investigation into creating less stressful and more positive feeding environments for all mothers can lead to healthier mothers and families.