Relationships Among the Physical and Social Home Food Environments, Dietary Intake, and Diet Quality in Mothers and Children

Abstract

BackgroundBoth the physical and social home food environment (HFE) are believed to influence dietary intake and diet quality, but few studies have examined both aspects together. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among the physical and social HFE, dietary intake, and diet quality in mothers and children. DesignThis was a cross-sectional substudy of a larger study. Participants/settingThe study included 24 mothers (aged ≥30 years) with a biological child aged 6 to 12 years living in the Newark, DE, area between June and November 2018. Main outcome measuresThe outcome measures of interest included the physical HFE (ie, home food availability); aspects of the social HFE (ie, parenting styles, family meal frequency, and policies); maternal and child intake of fruits, vegetables, sugar-sweetened beverages, and snacks; and diet quality using the 2015 Healthy Eating Index total score. Statistical analysisPearson correlations were used to examine the relationship between physical HFE and dietary intake as well as social HFE and dietary intake in both mothers and children. The relationships were further examined through exploratory regression analyses. ResultsIn mothers, fruit availability in the physical HFE was correlated with fruit intake (r = 0.50; P = 0.02). Fruit and vegetable availability in the physical HFE were correlated with 2015 Healthy Eating Index total score in both the mother and child. Family meals participation was correlated with dietary intake (vegetable intake in children, r = 0.44; P = 0.04; and snack intake in mothers, r = –0.74; P < .001). Exploratory regression analysis showed vegetables in the HFE was associated with vegetable intake and 2015 Healthy Eating Index total score in mothers, and fruits and vegetables in the HFE were associated with child 2015 Healthy Eating Index total score. Family meals participation was negatively associated with maternal snack intake and child sugar-sweetened beverages intake. Authoritative parenting was negatively associated with child snack intake and permissive parenting was negatively associated with mother’s fruit intake. ConclusionsBoth the physical and social HFE are associated with maternal and child dietary intake, but only the physical HFE was associated with dietary quality. Although preliminary, these data indicate the importance of future studies that include measures to assess both the physical and social HFE to better elucidate the influences of the HFE on dietary intake.