Longitudinal Associations between Food Parenting Practices and Dietary Intake in preschool Children: The ToyBox Study

Abstract

IntroductionFood Parenting Practices (FPPs) include the practices parents use in the act of feeding their children, which may further influence their health. ObjectivesTo assess associations between changes in FPPs (permissiveness, food availability, guided choices, water encouragement, rules and limits and the use of food as reward) over one year and dietary intake (water, energy-dense/nutrient poor and nutrient-dense foods) at follow-up in 4-6-year-old preschool-aged children. MethodsLongitudinal data from the control group of the ToyBox-study, a cluster-randomized controlled intervention study, was used (NCT02116296). Multilevel ordinal logistic regression analyses including FPP as the independent variables and dietary intake as outcome. Results964 parent-child dyads (50.5% boys and 95.0% mothers) were included. Limited changes on the use of FPPs were observed over time. Nevertheless, in boys, often having F&V at home was associated with higher F&V consumption [OR=6.92 (1.58; 30.38)] and increasing home availability of F&V was directly associated with higher water consumption [OR=7.62 (1.63; 35.62)]. Also, not having sweets or salty snacks available at home was associated with a lower consumption of desserts [OR=4.34 (1.75; 10.75)]. In girls, having F&V availability was associated with higher F&V consumption [OR=6.72 (1.52; 29.70)] and lower salty snack consumption [OR=3.26 (1.50; 7.10)] and never having soft drinks at home was associated with a lower consumption of sweets [OR=7.89 (6.32; 9.86)]. Also, never being permissive about soft drinks consumption was associated with lower soft drink consumption [OR=4.09 (2.44; 6.85)]. ConclusionUsing favourable FPPs and avoiding the negative ones is prospectively associated with healthier dietary intake, especially of F&V, and less intake of soft drinks, desserts, and salty snacks.