Of the four parental 'feeding styles,' only one is good for kids' health, experts say

Research has identified four primary parental feeding styles, each influencing children's health and eating behaviors differently. Among these, experts agree that the **authoritative feeding style** is the most beneficial for children's overall well-being.

### Overview of Parental Feeding Styles

1. **Authoritative Feeding Style**

   - **Characteristics**: This style combines high demands with high responsiveness. Parents set clear boundaries and expectations while being supportive and responsive to their children's needs.

   - **Impact on Children**: Children raised in this environment are more likely to develop healthy eating habits, maintain a healthy weight, and exhibit better self-regulation regarding food intake. They learn to make healthier food choices and have a positive relationship with food[3][5].

2. **Authoritarian Feeding Style**

   - **Characteristics**: Authoritarian parents impose strict rules and expectations without considering their child's preferences or hunger cues. They often pressure children to eat certain foods or clean their plates.

   - **Impact on Children**: This approach can lead to poor appetite regulation and a negative relationship with food, increasing the risk of obesity and unhealthy eating patterns. Children may eat more to please their parents rather than responding to their own hunger signals[3][5].

3. **Permissive (Indulgent) Feeding Style**

   - **Characteristics**: Permissive parents are highly responsive but set few boundaries regarding food. They often allow children to eat whatever they want, whenever they want.

   - **Impact on Children**: This lack of structure can result in children developing a strong preference for unhealthy foods, leading to weight gain and poor nutritional choices. Children may struggle with self-regulation around food, often opting for sweets and high-fat options over healthier choices[2][3][5].

4. **Uninvolved (Neglectful) Feeding Style**

   - **Characteristics**: Uninvolved parents show low responsiveness and low demands regarding feeding practices. They may neglect meal planning or fail to provide regular meals.

   - **Impact on Children**: This style can create insecurity around food, leading children to overeat or undereat due to uncertainty about when food will be available. Such neglect can also result in anxiety about food, further complicating their relationship with eating[3][5].

### Conclusion

The authoritative feeding style stands out as the most effective approach for promoting children's health and well-being. By balancing structure with responsiveness, this style fosters healthy eating habits and emotional security in children. In contrast, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved styles can lead to various negative outcomes related to nutrition and weight management. Understanding these feeding styles allows parents to adopt practices that support their children's long-term health and positive relationships with food[1][2][3].

Citations:

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30632694/

[2] https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1479-5868-6-55

[3] https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/04/health/parenting-food-drayer/index.html

[4] https://bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-023-04369-4

[5] https://veggiesandvirtue.com/blog/parent-feeding-styles

[6] https://karger.com/anm/article/74/Suppl.%202/29/42541/Feeding-Practices-and-Parenting-A-Pathway-to-Child

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4677105/

[8] https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/eating-tips.html