Abstract:
This study determined the relation between mother’s control-over-
eating and their child’s weight. Respondents included were 72 mothers of third-graders
from Paco Catholic School. A survey questionnaire with a 15-item Control-Over-Eating
Scale developed by the researcher was utilized. Personal information, body mass index
(BMI) measures of mothers, and weight of child were also gathered. Results of the
present study indicated less control-over-eating exhibited by mothers in relation to a
child’s overweight status. Also, perceptions of mothers regarding their own and their
child’s weights play a more crucial role in identifying significant control-over-eating than
the actual BMI and weight measures. Further, there was a lack of or weak associations
between mother’s control-over-eating and factors such as mother’s perception of own
weight, mother’s BMI, mother’s educational level and working status, and household
monthly income. Recommendations were made to help dispel some myths about
overweight and obesity in children and provide more straightforward evidence for
clinicians, also to identify strategies in dealing with the growing problem of overweight
and obesity.