Predictors of Maternal Encouragement to Diet: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Maternal encouragement to diet has been linked to child disordered eating, overweight and obesity, and negative psychosocial outcomes. A limited amount of research has examined variables that may contribute to maternal encouragement to diet. The current study examined the relationship between child BMI, parent BMI, maternal concern about child weight status, and maternal encouragement to diet. 80 youths, aged 8-17, and their mothers were administered questionnaires to assess maternal weight concern and child perception of maternal encouragement to diet. Data were analyzed using a bootstrapped moderated mediation model. Higher child BMI predicted increased maternal weight concern, which in turn was related to increased encouragement to diet. Mothers of overweight and obese youth were more likely to be concerned about their child's weight if mothers themselves were overweight or obese. Overweight or obese girls (but not boys) with an overweight or obese mother were more likely to be encouraged to diet. The model accounted for 48 % of the variance in maternal encouragement to diet. Results indicate a potential mechanism by which encouragement to diet occurs and highlight the relevance of maternal weight and child gender in the prediction of encouragement to diet.