Loosen up, ma.

A national study that included Lawrence families has found that strict mothers run a higher risk of raising overweight kids than parents who are flexible with rules.

The message is: “Loosen up, but still stay firm,” said Kay Rhee, a researcher at Boston University’s School of Medicine and study co-author.

The study appears in the latest issue of Pediatrics, a journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which was released Monday.

The study found strict, authoritarian mothers were nearly five times more likely to have overweight children than mothers who were authoritative but flexible. Kids of permissive or even neglectful mothers were twice as likely to be chubby than those of authoritative-but-flexible moms.

A child may be less cooperative with an overly strict parent, the study suggested. A parent who forces a child to exercise may make the child loathe exercising or rebellious.

Though some parents may press their children to finish all the food on their plates, that’s a no-no, said Chelsea Curry, a dietitian and co-coordinator of KU’s Weight Control Research Project.

Christie Ogunnowo plays with one of the children in her day care group, Kids Choice Christian Group Daycare, 519 Boulder St. A national study that included Lawrence families has found that strict mothers run a higher risk of raising overweight kids than parents who are flexible.

“That goes against listening to our hunger signals,” Curry said.

It’s more important that parents lead by example, Curry said.

The study, which included nearly 900 children, outlined four parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and neglectful.

Authoritarian mothers often are insensitive to a child’s needs, give little emotional support and are considered strict disciplinarians.

On the other side of the spectrum are neglectful parents, who have low demands for a child’s self-control and sensitivity.

Parents function best between the extremes, said Christie Ogunnowo, a Lawrence mother of three and director of Kids Choice Christian Group Daycare.

Ogunnowo said she has seen a wide variety of parenting styles among her clients. Some let their kids eat junk food all the time. Others are too strict.

Children at the daycare enjoyed a meal of salad, oranges and milk.

“You just have to balance it,” she said.

The recent study used information collected from participants of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development.

Rhee said the participants were randomly selected and anonymous and that she did not know how many Lawrence families were part of the recent study. The majority of the participants were white, and Rhee said the study does not apply to other racial groups.