Aim: To investigate the relationship between parenting practices and mental health of adolescents with different body mass index.

Methods: The investigation was conducted in 2008 as part of prospective cohort study of 605 children (305 girls and 300 boys).They were observed in the neonatal period, at the age of 3 years and at the age of 13 years. By mail the adolescents received the Short Form of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ-9) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). School nurses performed anthropometric measurements: weight and height of pupils. In statistical analysis, hierarchical linear regression models were assessed for mother and father parenting practices, both for the whole group of adolescents and for adolescents in groups stratified by the Body Mass Index (BMI).

Results: Stepwise linear regression revealed that in the total sample, positive parenting (praising and rewarding) by the mother explains 5% of variance of adolescents mental health (father’s positive parenting explains 4%), consequent discipline of mother or father – 1%, supervision by the mother – 0.4%, by the father – 2.5%. In the group of overweight adolescents positive parenting by the mother explains 13% (in normal weight group – 3%) of adolescents mental health variance, positive parenting  by the father – 15% (in normal weight group – 2%). Supervision by the father explains 7% of overweight adolescents mental health (in normal weight group – 1,5%). For overweight girls the most important predictors of mental health are positive parenting by the both parents and father’s supervision.

Conclusions: Parenting practices are important predictors of adolescents’ mental health, especially for overweight youths. Positive parenting (praising and rewarding) may play a significant role in improving overweight adolescents’ mental health.