Journal Article

Real-time predictors of food parenting practices and child eating behaviors in racially/ethnically diverse families

de Brito, Junia N., Fertig, Angela R., Berge, Jerica M., Trofholz, Amanda

2023

Overview

Background Prior research has shown associations between controlling food parenting practices (e.g., pressure-to-eat, restriction) and factors that increase risk for cardiovascular disease in children (e.g., low diet quality, obesity). This study aimed to examine associations between real-time parental stress and depressed mood, food parenting practices, and child eating behaviors in a longitudinal cohort study. Methods Children ages 5–9 years and their families ( n  = 631) from six racial/ethnic groups (African American, Hispanic, Hmong, Native American, Somali/Ethiopian, White) were recruited for this study through primary care clinics in a large metromolitan area in the US (Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN) in 2016–2019. Ecological momentary assessment was carried out over seven days with parents at two time points, 18 months apart. Adjusted associations between morning stress and depressed mood of parents on food parenting practices and child eating behaviors at the evening meal were examined. Interactions tested whether food security, race/ethnicity and child sex moderated associations. Results High levels of parental stress and depressed mood experienced earlier in the day were associated with controlling food parenting practices and child food fussiness at dinner the same night. Results were dependent on food security status, race/ethnicity, and child sex. Conclusions Health care professionals may want to consider, or continue, screening parents for stress, depression, and food insecurity during well-child visits and discuss the influence these factors may have on food parenting practices and child eating behaviors. Future research should use real-time interventions such as ecological momentary intervention to reduce parental stress and depressed mood to promote healthy food parenting practices and child eating behaviors.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: African Americans / Behavior / Behavioral Sciences / Cardiovascular diseases / Care and treatment / Child eating behaviors / Child psychopathology / Children / Children & youth / Clinical Nutrition / cohort studies / Data collection / Depression, Mental / Depressive symptoms / Diagnosis / dinner / Eating behavior / Eating disorders in children / Ecological momentary assessment / ethnic differences / Ethnicity / Families & family life / Family / Fast food / Feeding Behavior / Food and nutrition / Food Fussiness / Food insecurity / Food parenting practices / food quality / Food security / Food supply / Health Promotion and Disease Prevention / health services / healthy diet / Households / Humans / Longitudinal Studies / Meals / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / mental depression / Methods / nationalities and ethnic groups / Native Americans / obesity / Overweight / Parenting / Parents & parenting / Pediatric cardiology / picky eating / Prevention / Race / Random variables / risk / Risk factors / Stress