How beliefs about weight malleability and risk perceptions for obesity influence parents’ information seeking and feeding

This
study surveyed 185 parents to determine whether their perceived risk of their
child developing obesity and their implicit theories about the malleability of
weight independently and/or interactively predict their child-feeding and
pursuit of child-related obesity risk information. Higher risk perceptions were
associated with healthier feeding intentions and more information seeking. More
incremental (malleable) beliefs predicted healthier feeding intentions and greater
pursuit of environmental, but not genetic, information. Contrary to hypotheses, the influence of implicit
theories and risk perceptions were primarily independent; however, more
incremental beliefs predicted less “junk food” feeding among only parents with
lower perceived risk.