Spanish cross-sectional study finds distinct food-soothing patterns among mothers and fathers

A Spanish cross-sectional study of 774 parents of toddlers found different patterns in the use of food to soothe among mothers and fathers. High maternal demandingness was associated with using food to soothe and with offering more palatable foods, whereas low paternal demandingness was associated with using fruit. Low responsiveness was associated with the use of energy-dense foods for both parents. Among child characteristics, the only reported association was that fathers were more likely to use bakery products with their daughters.

The study examined possible relationships between parental feeding-style dimensions, the frequency of using specific foods to soothe—such as bakery products, bread or milk—and toddlers’ body mass index and sex, with results differentiated by mothers and fathers. Researchers collected sociodemographic information through a questionnaire, including child sex and age, annual family income and parental education. The sample comprised 292 fathers and 482 mothers. The Toddler Feeding Style Questionnaire assessed feeding dimensions, while single questionnaire items addressed use of food to soothe.

Relationships between variables were analyzed using Student’s t-tests, chi-square tests and Mann–Whitney U tests. The reported results suggest that demandingness played different roles for mothers and fathers: high demandingness among mothers was linked both to food-to-soothing practices and to more palatable foods, while low demandingness among fathers was linked to fruit use. Responsiveness showed a similar pattern in both groups, with low levels associated with energy-dense foods. The findings also support treating maternal and paternal feeding behavior as potentially distinct rather than combining all parents into a single category.

The available study summary does not specify effect sizes or provide details about additional body mass index associations, beyond reporting the association between fathers’ use of bakery products and their daughters. As a cross-sectional observational analysis, the research identifies associations rather than establishing that feeding practices cause particular soothing behaviors or child outcomes. It also does not track changes over time, so the direction and timing of relationships among feeding dimensions, food-to-soothing use and toddlers’ body mass index remain unresolved. The scope was limited to the parents of toddlers in Spain, and the results do not establish clinical or public-health interventions.

Subject of Research: Associations between parental feeding styles, food-to-soothing practices, and toddlers’ BMI and sex in Spain

Article Title: Maternal and paternal feeding dimensions and the use of food to soothe: an analysis of their association with toddlers’ BMI and sex

Article References: Lozano-Casanova, M., Escribano, S., Oliver-Roig, A., Gutierrez-Hervas, A., Sospedra, I., & Richart-Martinez, M. (2026). Maternal and paternal feeding dimensions and the use of food to soothe: an analysis of their association with toddlers’ BMI and sex. BMC Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-026-07868-2

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12887-026-07868-2

Keywords: parental feeding styles, food to soothe, toddlers, body mass index, maternal feeding, paternal feeding, cross-sectional study, Spain, child sex, feeding responsiveness, Maternal, paternal