Abstract
BackgroundMany parents do not live with, or have shared custody of, their adolescent children (i.e., nonresident parents). The degree of their influence on their children, as compared to parents who do live with their children the majority of the time (i.e. resident parents) has not been well-studied. The current study aimed to examine whether and how resident and nonresident parents’ weight and weight-related behaviors are correlated with adolescents’ weight and weight-related behaviors. Results will inform who may be important to include in adolescent obesity prevention interventions.MethodsData from two linked population-based studies, EAT 2010 and F-EAT, were used for cross-sectional analyses. Resident parents (n = 200; 80% females; mean age =41.8), nonresident parents (n =200; 70% male; mean age =43.1), and adolescents (n =200; 60% girls; mean age =14.2 years) were socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse. Multiple regression models were fit to investigate the association between resident and nonresident parents’ weight and weight-related behaviors and adolescents’ weight and weight-related behaviors.ResultsBoth resident and nonresident parents’ BMI were significantly associated with adolescents’ BMI percentile. Additionally, resident parents’ sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and fruit and vegetable intake were significantly associated with adolescents’ sugar-sweetened beverage intake and fruit and vegetable intake (p < 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, the association between nonresident parent physical activity and adolescent physical activity was marginally significant (p = 0.067). Neither resident nor nonresident parents’ fast food consumption, breakfast frequency, or sedentary behaviors were significantly associated with adolescents’ same behaviors.ConclusionsThese preliminary findings suggest that resident and nonresident parents may have slightly different influences on their adolescent children’s weight-related behaviors. Longitudinal follow-up is needed to determine temporality of associations.
Highlights
IntroductionIt is common for adolescents to live in shared custody arrangements [1]
According to national data, it is common for adolescents to live in shared custody arrangements [1]
The one study that has examined nonresident parental influence on adolescent eating patterns showed that adolescents in nontraditional households ate significantly less healthfully than their counterparts living in dual-headed households [2]
Summary
It is common for adolescents to live in shared custody arrangements [1]. Numerous studies have indicated that primary caregivers’ (primarily mothers) parenting style [3,7,15], feeding practices [10,11,13] and modeling and encouraging of healthful behaviors [8,16,17] were more strongly associated with adolescents’ BMI z-score, dietary patterns, physical activity habits and unhealthy weight control behaviors as compared to secondary parents (primarily fathers), not all associations have been consistent across studies. A few studies have shown that secondary caregivers’ parenting style, feeding practices, modeling and encouraging of healthful behaviors were or more strongly associated with adolescents’ BMI z-score, dietary patterns, or physical activity habits as compared to the primary caregiver (e.g., father parenting style was significantly associated with more fruit and vegetable intake and lower BMI in daughters) [4,6]. Results will inform who may be important to include in adolescent obesity prevention interventions
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