Mary Jo Messito, M.D.

Maternal controlling feeding styles during early infancy
Gross R.S.; Mendelsohn A.L.; Fierman A.H.; Messito M.J.
2011 ;50(12):1125-1133, Clinical pediatrics
This study sought to determine the relationship between maternal controlling feeding styles and maternal perception of their infant's ability to regulate feeding and infant weight. A cross-sectional survey of 208 mothers with infants between 2 weeks and 6 months old was performed in a private pediatric office. The authors assessed the relationship between restrictive and pressuring feeding styles with (a) maternal perception of the infant's ability to regulate feeding and (b) infant weight (both actual and perceived). Restrictive feeding style was associated with the perception that infants could not recognize their own hunger or satiety and with concern that the infant would become overweight in the future. Pressuring feeding style was associated with the perception that the baby's appetite is less than other babies and with concern that the infant would become underweight in the future. Maternal perceptions of infant feeding and weight should be incorporated into early obesity prevention strategies. SAGE Publications 2011
— id: 145746, year: 2011, vol: 50, page: 1125, stat: Journal Article,

Maternal Perceptions of Infant Hunger, Satiety, and Pressuring Feeding Styles in an Urban Latina WIC Population
Gross, RS; Fierman, AH; Mendelsohn, AL; Chiasson, MA; Rosenberg, TJ; Scheinmann, R; Messito, MJ
2010 JAN-FEB ;10(1):29-35, Academic Pediatrics
Objective.-Control ling feeding styles in which parents regulate feeding without responding to child cues have been associated with poor self-regulation of feeding and increased weight, but have not been well studied in infancy. We sought to assess maternal perception of infant feeding cues and pressuring feeding styles in an urban Latina Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) population. Methods.-Secondary analysis of a larger study of Latina mothers participating in New York City WIC programs. We examined maternal perception of infant feeding cues and pressuring feeding style. Using logistic regression, we assessed: 1) characteristics associated with perceptions of cues and pressuring to feed, including sociodemographics, breastfeeding, and maternal body mass index; and 2) whether perceptions of cues were associated with pressuring feeding style. Results.-We surveyed 368 mothers (84% response rate). Most mothers perceived that babies sense their own satiety. However, 72% believed that infant crying must indicate hunger. Fifty-three percent believed that mothers should always make babies finish the bottle ('pressure to feed'). Pressuring feeding style was associated with foreign maternal country of birth (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66-5.60) and less than a high school education (AOR 1.81; 95% CI, 1.12-2.91). Two perceptions of feeding cues were related to pressuring feeding style: belief that infant crying must indicate hunger (AOR 2.59; 95% CI, 1.52-4.42) and infant hand sucking implies hunger (AOR 1.83; 95% CI, 1.10-3.03). Conclusions.-Maternal characteristics influence perception of infant hunger and satiety. Interpretation of feeding cues is associated with pressuring feeding style. Improving responsiveness to infant cues should be a component of early childhood obesity prevention
— id: 110677, year: 2010, vol: 10, page: 29, stat: Journal Article,

Physicians' attitudes about obesity and their associations with competency and specialty: a cross-sectional study
Jay, Melanie; Kalet, Adina; Ark, Tavinder; McMacken, Michelle; Messito, Mary Jo; Richter, Regina; Schlair, Sheira; Sherman, Scott; Zabar, Sondra; Gillespie, Colleen
2009 ;9:106-106, BMC health services research
BACKGROUND: Physicians frequently report negative attitudes about obesity which is thought to affect patient care. However, little is known about how attitudes toward treating obese patients are formed. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of physicians in order to better characterize their attitudes and explore the relationships among attitudes, perceived competency in obesity care, including report of weight loss in patients, and other key physician, training, and practice characteristics. METHODS: We surveyed all 399 physicians from internal medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry specialties at one institution regarding obesity care attitudes, competency, including physician report of percent of their patients who lose weight. We performed a factor analysis on the attitude items and used hierarchical regression analysis to explore the degree to which competency, reported weight loss, physician, training and practice characteristics explained the variance in each attitude factor. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 63%. More than 40% of physicians had a negative reaction towards obese patients, 56% felt qualified to treat obesity, and 46% felt successful in this realm. The factor analysis revealed 4 factors-Physician Discomfort/Bias, Physician Success/Self Efficacy, Positive Outcome Expectancy, and Negative Outcome Expectancy. Competency and reported percent of patients who lose weight were most strongly associated with the Physician Success/Self Efficacy attitude factor. Greater skill in patient assessment was associated with less Physician Discomfort/Bias. Training characteristics were associated with outcome expectancies with newer physicians reporting more positive treatment expectancies. Pediatric faculty was more positive and psychiatry faculty less negative in their treatment expectancies than internal medicine faculty. CONCLUSION: Physician attitudes towards obesity are associated with competency, specialty, and years since postgraduate training. Further study is necessary to determine the direction of influence and to explore the impact of these attitudes on patient care
— id: 100613, year: 2009, vol: 9, page: 106, stat: Journal Article,

Parental perception of child weight status and feeding practices in young children
Corrigan, KP; Messito, M; Fierman, AH; Kendrick, SR; Dreyer, BP; Tomopoulos, S; Yick, CD; Aquino, MR; Thyagarajan, P; Mendelsohn, AL
2004 APR ;55(4):218A-218A, Pediatric research
— id: 46533, year: 2004, vol: 55, page: 218A, stat: Journal Article,

Predictors of obesity in Latino infants
Corrigan, KP; Mendelsohn, AL; Tomopoulos, S; Messito, M; Fierman, AH; Dreyer, BP; PeBenito, C; Brennan, L
2003 APR ;53(4):208A-208A, Pediatric research
— id: 38564, year: 2003, vol: 53, page: 208A, stat: Journal Article,

Neuropathy and anti-MAG antibodies without detectable serum M-protein
Nobile-Orazio E; Latov N; Hays AP; Takatsu M; Abrams GM; Sherman WH; Miller JR; Messito MJ; Saito T; Tahmoush A; et al.
1984 Feb;34(2):218-221, Neurology
Anti-MAG IgM antibodies were detected by ELISA in a patient with slowly progressive peripheral neuropathy. Serum IgM content was normal, and no M-protein was detected by serum protein electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis, or immunostaining. By immunoblot analysis, the anti-MAG antibodies were IgMk; they reacted with human and bovine MAG but not with mouse MAG. The data suggest that there was an anti-MAG IgM M-protein in concentration too low to be detected by conventional techniques. Tests for anti-MAG antibodies should be done in patients with slowly progressive neuropathy of unknown etiology, even in the absence of detectable serum M-protein
— id: 23873, year: 1984, vol: 34, page: 218, stat: Journal Article,

Anti-MAG IgM antibodies in patients with neuropathy and IgM M proteins: detection by ELISA
Nobile-Orazio E; Vietorisz T; Messito MJ; Sherman WH; Latov N
1983 Jul;33(7):939-942, Neurology
In some patients with plasma cell dyscrasia and neuropathy, there are IgM M proteins that react with the myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG). We used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system to detect anti-MAG IgM antibodies. Reactivity with human MAG by ELISA correlated with demonstration of anti-MAG IgM antibodies by the 'immunoblot' technique. Human MAG was more effective than bovine MAG as antigen, and there was no significant reactivity with mouse MAG. The ELISA system is a simple and convenient method for detecting anti-MAG IgM antibodies
— id: 23874, year: 1983, vol: 33, page: 939, stat: Journal Article,

Measurement of myelin basic protein and of anti-basic protein antibodies by ELISA utilizing biotinylated antibodies
Spatz L; Whitman L; Messito MJ; Nilaver G; Ginsberg S; Latov N
1983 ;12(1):31-37, Immunological communications
Immunoglobulins were conjugated to peroxidase by the biotin-avidin method and used in ELISA systems for measuring myelin basic protein (MBP) and anti-MBP antibodies. To measure concentration of MBP, microplate wells were coated with affinity purified rabbit anti-MBP antibodies and incubated with varying concentrations of MBP. Bound antigen was measured by incubating with biotinylated anti-MBP antibodies and avidin-peroxidase. As little as 0.2 ng/ml of MBP could be measured by this assay. To measure anti-MBP antibodies, microplate wells were coated with human MBP and incubated with varying concentrations of affinity purified rabbit anti-human MBP antibodies. Binding was measured by incubating with either peroxidase-conjugated anti-rabbit antibodies or biotinylated anti-rabbit antibodies and avidin peroxidase. The two methods were equally sensitive. The avidin-biotin method for enzyme conjugation promises to be a useful and versatile tool for ELISA systems
— id: 23875, year: 1983, vol: 12, page: 31, stat: Journal Article,