RUcore Resource Object
RUcore Resource Object
PDF-1(610.93 KB)
TitleStudy of taste genetics and maternal factors on weight status in preschool children
NameShankar, Poornima (author), Tepper, Beverly (chair), DAUN, HENRYK (internal member), Quadro, Loredana (internal member), Rutgers University, Graduate School - New Brunswick,
Degree Date2009-10
Date Created2009
SubjectFood Science,
Obesity in children,
Nutrition--Genetic aspects,
Taste--Genetic aspects
DescriptionGenetic and environmental factors are important determinants of food intake and weight status children. Our laboratory has previously shown that weight status in high SES, Caucasian children is influenced by maternal eating attitudes (dietary restraint & disinhibition), child feeding practices and genetic taste sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) a trait that is controlled, in part, by the bitter taste receptor gene, TAS2R38 (Keller, 2004; Goldstein, 2007). The present study was undertaken to determine if these same or related factors play a role in lunchtime energy intake and adiposity in a cohort of low-income, Hispanic children at risk for overweight. A total of 78 children (51.8 ±0.6 mo; 82± 2.0 BMI%-ile) and their mothers (BMI 27.2± 0.6kg/m2) from a local “Head-Start” preschool participated. PROP status was measured in both mothers and children. Mothers completed the Child Feeding Questionnaire and the Dutch Eating Questionnaire for restraint, external and emotional eating. Children’s food intake at lunch, were recorded during two observations on separate days at the preschool. Results showed that overweight children (>85th BMI%-ile) of mothers who were overweight themselves (p<0.0001), who had high dietary restraint (p<0.01) or who reported using a less restrictive feeding style (p<0.05) consumed more energy at lunch than overweight children whose mothers did no display these characteristics. BMI-z score was highest in PROP non-taster children of mothers with high dietary restraint (2.02) as compared to any of the other groups (0.97-1.31; p<0.02). Hierarchical regression predicted 41.7% of the variance in BMI-z scores. Key steps in this model included: main effects (gender, child taster status and perceived weight of child; 18% variance); child energy intake at lunch (16% variance); maternal/child variables (perceived responsibility, pressure to eat and child food reactivity; 3.4% variance); and the interaction of maternal restraint and child taster status (5.84% variance). This study identified maternal and genetic factors associated with higher energy intakes and greater risk of overweight in Hispanic children. A better understanding of these variables lead to more effective weight management programs to tackle obesity within in this community.
NoteM.S.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references (p. 99-112)
Noteby Poornima Shankar
Genretheses
Persistent URLhttp://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.2/rucore10001600001.ETD.000051978
Languageeng
CollectionGraduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work