Mediation Role of Parental Nutrition Style in Relation with Parental Coping Strategies and Pediatric Obesity in Shiraz, 2019

In obese children, there is a greater likelihood that they will become obese adults, and they will have negative physical and psychological outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the mediating role of parental nutritional style in the relationship between parental coping styles and childhood obesity.

The present study was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population of the study consisted of all obese children and their parents in 2019 in Shiraz. 160 children and their parents were selected and studied by multi-stage cluster sampling from the statistical population. Coping inventory for a stressful situation – short form (CISS) and parental feeding styles questionnaire (PFSQ), and body mass index (BMI) were used to collect data. After collecting and extracting data, participants' scores were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equations (path analysis) by means of SPSS 20 and AMOS 20 statistical software.

The results showed that the relationship between problem-oriented and emotion-oriented coping style with BMI was significant and negative (P= 0.01); furthermore, relationship between distraction style and social engagement style with BMI was significant and positive (P= 0.01). Moreover, there was a significant and positive the relationship between the subscale of emotional nutrition, instrumental nutrition, arousal, and encouragement to eat with BMI (P= 0.05).

According to the findings, parents who urge their children to follow a healthy eating pattern have an essential moderating role in the interplay between coping techniques and childhood obesity.