Participants
This study is part of larger project approved by the authors’ University’s
Research Ethics Board in which 150 families (parent–child
dyads) consented to participate. Four families were excluded
because the target child weight (one girl and three boys) was
classified at the 5th percentile of weight distribution (underweight
category). Two other children did not respond to our
interview questions and were therefore not included in the analyses.
Preliminary analyses showed no significant differences in their
socio-demographic characteristics compared to the rest ofthe sample.
Statistical analyses (Mahalanobis distance) for outlier effects
did not reach statistical significance. The final sample of 144 families
included48%(n = 68) girls and52%(n = 76) boys from3 to 5 years
of age (M = 51 mo, SD = 11 mo). The child’s mother completed the
questionnaires in 92% of cases. Most of the children were living in
two-parent households, 77% (n = 111).About one-third, 32% (n = 46)