Food Parenting Practices Research Articles

Adolescents’ mental health is associated with food parenting practices among British Columbian families

BackgroundAdolescence is a developmental period marked by significant changes related to the body and food parenting practices. However, few studies have explored child-level psychological correlates of these practices during adolescence. Our study examined whether adolescents’ weight status, weight concerns, self-esteem, and anxiety were associated with food parenting practices, and whether these associations significantly differ by adolescents’ gender among 297 families in British Columbia, Canada. MethodsParents (47 years, 76% mothers) completed a food parenting practice item bank. Adolescents (14 years, 52% girls) self-reported their height and weight, weight concerns, self-esteem, and anxiety. Covariate-adjusted regression models evaluated the association of adolescents’ weight and mental health with nine practices (main effects). Interactions were used to evaluate the moderating role of gender, and further decomposed in all models to examine simple effects within each gender group. ResultsMain-effect models showed positive associations between: (1) weight concerns and child involvement, (2) weight concerns and accommodating practices, (3) self-esteem and healthy eating opportunities, and (4) self-esteem with meal routines, as well as negative associations between: (5) self-esteem and accommodating practices, (6) self-esteem and coercive control, and (7) anxiety and rules and limits. In all models (except one) interactions with gender were not significant; however, in all cases the decomposed effects showed only significant effects among girls. A significant gender interaction emerged in (8) the association between anxiety and coercive control, but the decomposed effects were not significant for either gender. Adolescents’ weight status was not associated with food parenting practices in any model. ConclusionsFood parenting practices are associated with mental health indicators among British Columbian families; however future studies should examine multidirectional relationships between these practices, adolescents’ mental health, and eating habits.

Associations of sugar-related food parenting practices and parental feeding styles with prospective dietary behavior of children and adolescents: a systematic review of the literature from 2017 to 2023.

High consumption of sugar-rich foods and beverages has been associated with increased overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. Dietary behavior is influenced by learned mechanisms that originate in childhood and is associated with food parenting practices (FPP) and parental feeding styles (PFS). This systematic review aimed to narratively synthesize FPP and PFS concerning sugar-rich foods and beverages and their associations with the prospective dietary behavior of children and adolescents to derive evidence-based recommendations for health professionals and parents to promote healthy behaviors. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed and Web of Science databases covering the publication years 2017-2023. The results were narratively synthesized, and exposure-outcome matrices were used for visual representation. The review included 15 peer-reviewed studies from different geographical regions that investigated FPP or PFS regarding the handling of sugar-rich foods and beverages in children's diets and reported the associations with the prospective dietary behavior of children and adolescents. The findings indicate that highly controlling parental practices were associated with the development of unhealthy eating behaviors and preferences for sugar-rich foods and beverages over time. Conversely, parental practices that emphasized structure and balance in dietary choices yielded more positive long-term outcomes, associated with reduced preferences for sugar-rich foods and drinks. The results underscore the significance of fostering a healthy home environment and active parental role modeling in promoting healthier dietary behaviors among children and adolescents.

Parent's use of coercive control practices with food is associated with poorer emotion regulation and increased emotional overeating in preschoolers

Emotional overeating is defined as eating in response to emotions. Around the preschool years, there is a shift from emotional undereating to overeating, which suggests environmental influences in the development of overeating. The use of food by parents to control their child's emotions, rather than to teach them appropriate emotion regulation strategies, may impact the child's ability to regulate their own emotions, resulting in emotional overeating. We hypothesized that such coercive control practices with food by parents would be associated with poorer ability of the child to regulate their own emotions, which in turn would lead to increased emotional overeating, but not emotional undereating. Mothers of four- and five-year-olds (N = 221) were recruited through MTurk and Prolific to complete online questionnaires measuring food parenting practices (Comprehensive Feeding Style Questionnaire and Parent Feeding Style Questionnaire), child emotion regulation (Emotion Regulation Checklist), and child emotional eating (Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire). Several mediation models were tested. Parent's use of food to control emotions and behavior was associated with higher levels of emotional overeating, which was mediated by poorer child emotion regulation. However, child emotion regulation did not mediate the association between parent's use of food to control emotions and behavior and the child's emotional undereating. Taken together, these models suggest that parent's use of coercive control with food may lead to child emotional overeating, but not emotional undereating, by teaching children to regulate their emotions through eating rather than more adaptive regulation strategies. Future experimental and longitudinal studies are needed to directly test the nature and direction of these associations and whether coercive control with food teaches children to overeat in response to their emotions in lieu of using appropriate emotion regulation strategies.

Parents of 5-to-12-year-old children with food allergies report more frequent use of structure-based food parenting practices

ObjectivesFood parenting practices (FPP) can have effects on children’s eating behaviors. Over 8 million children in the US have food allergies, however, little is known about FPP for those who have children with food allergies. The objective of this study was to describe FPP among children with food allergies. MethodsRecruited across the United States using ResearchMatch in February and March 2021, parents of children ages 5–12 years (n = 346; n = 77 with food allergies) completed a single, online survey which measured health history, demographics, and FPP. Linear regressions were used to examine associations between FPP of children with and without food allergies, and associations between food allergy factors and FPP. ResultsParents of children with food allergies reported greater use of limit exposure than parents of children without food allergies (B = 0.131; [CI], 0.021–0.293; P = 0.024), with no differences in other types of FPP. ConclusionsParents of children with food allergies reported more frequent structure-based FPP than parents of children without food allergies. More work is needed to explore mechanisms that promote positive food parenting among this population.

Association between parental resource depletion and parent use of specific food parenting practices: An ecological momentary assessment study

The resource depletion model proposes that self-control is a limited resource that may become depleted after repeated use. This study aimed to improve our understanding of the correlates of resource depletion in parents, examine the association between resource depletion and use of coercive food parenting practices, and explore the relationship between resource depletion and stress. Children aged 5–9 and their parents (n = 631 dyads) were recruited from primary care clinics in a large metropolitan area in the United States in 2016–2019. Ecological momentary assessment was carried out over seven days with parents. Frequency tabulations and descriptive statistics were calculated to examine the overall, between-participant, and within-participant frequency of resource depletion, stress, and coercive food parenting practices. Resource depletion was higher among mothers (as compared to fathers) and native born participants (as compared to immigrants). Resource depletion was found to decrease significantly with each increase in household income level and perceived co-parenting support was negatively associated with resource depletion. Greater resource depletion earlier in the day was positively associated with coercive food parenting practices (e.g., food restriction, pressure-to-eat) at dinner the same night. Further, prior day resource depletion was associated with greater pressure-to-eat the next day. Parents with lower chronic stress were found to engage in pressuring when experiencing higher depletion. Clinicians and public health professionals should be aware of the role the resource depletion can play in parent's use of specific food parenting practices and seek to provide parents with the support they need to manage the cognitive load they are experiencing.

Food parenting and Children's eating behaviour: Exploring the role of coparenting

Parents have primary influence over the development of their children's eating behaviours, however less attention has been given to whether or how their coparenting plays a role in this association. The aim of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional associations between mothers' and fathers' food parenting practices and children's eating behaviour and examine whether coparenting quality moderates or confounds these associations. Parents (222 mothers and 167 fathers) with children 18 months to 5 years completed an online survey that assessed their food parenting practices and coparenting quality. One parent per family (91% mothers) also reported their children's food approach behaviours. We used linear regressions with generalized estimating equations to examine the associations between food parenting practices and children's eating behaviours. To explore moderation by coparenting quality, we included an interaction term in each model (coparenting quality x food parenting practice). To explore confounding, models were adjusted for coparenting quality. All models were stratified by parent gender and included parent educational attainment, child age, and child BMI z-scores as covariates. Among both mothers and fathers, we found that structure and autonomy support food parenting practices were inversely associated with children's food responsiveness, and desire to drink, while coercive control practices were positively associated with these food approach behaviours. We found the opposite direction of association between these food parenting practices and children's enjoyment of food. Among mothers, autonomy support was inversely associated with children's emotional overeating, while coercive control was positively associated with this eating behaviour. Coparenting quality did not moderate or confound the associations. Future studies should continue to explore these associations among families with young children and consider feeding coparenting in the association.

The feeding siblings questionnaire (FSQ): Development of a self-report tool for parents with children aged 2–5 years

Over the last decade, there have been repeated calls to expand the operationalisation of food parenting practices. The conceptualisation and measurement of these practices has been based primarily on research with parent-child dyads. One unexplored dimension of food parenting pertains to the evaluation of practices specific to feeding siblings. This study describes the development and validation of the Feeding Siblings Questionnaire (FSQ) – a tool designed to measure practices in which siblings are positioned as mediators in parents’ attempts to prompt or persuade a child to eat. Item development was guided by a conceptual model derived from mixed-methods research and refined through expert reviews and cognitive interviews. These interviews were conducted in two phases, where parents responded to the questionnaire primarily to test i) the readability and relevance of each item, and ii) its overall feasibility. The instrument was completed by 330 parents (96.1% mothers) in Australia with two children aged 2–5 years, and repeated by 133 parents (40.3%) two weeks later. Exploratory factor analysis was performed on baseline data. Internal consistency and test re-test reliability of the subsequent subscales were examined. Construct validity was assessed through comparisons with existing measures of food parenting practices and child eating behaviours. The final FSQ scale included 22 items, reflecting five food parenting practices: sibling competitiveness, active sibling influence, threatening unequal division of food, sibling role modelling, and vicarious operant conditioning. Internal consistency and test re-test reliability estimates were high, and there was some evidence of convergent construct validity. While its factor structure should be confirmed in a different sample, the FSQ offers a novel tool for assessing, monitoring, and evaluating feeding interactions beyond those confined to the parent-child dyad.

Longitudinal associations between food parenting practices and dietary intake in preschool children: The ToyBox Study

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 1 year and dietary intake (water, energy-dense/nutrient-poor and nutrient-dense foods) at follow-up in 4- to 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. ResultsNine hundred sixty-four 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 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 lower consumption of sweets (OR = 7.89 [6.32; 9.86]). Also, never being permissive about soft drink consumption was associated with lower soft drink consumption (OR = 4.09 [2.44; 6.85]). ConclusionUsing favorable 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.

Reported Intergenerational Transmission of Parent Weight Talk and Links with Child Health and Wellbeing

ObjectivesTo examine if intergenerational transmission of parent weight talk occurs and the contextual factors prompting weight talk, and whether parent weight talk is associated with child weight, dietary intake, psychosocial outcomes, and food parenting practices. Study designChildren ages 5-9 and their families (n=1307) from six racial and ethnic groups (African-American, Hispanic, Hmong, Native American, Somali/Ethiopian, White) were recruited for a longitudinal cohort study through primary care clinics in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota from 2016 through 2019. Parents filled out surveys at two time points, 18 months apart. Adjusted regression models examined associations of interest. ResultsIntergenerational transmission of parent weight talk was observed. In addition, significant associations were found between parent engagement in weight talk and higher weight status and poorer psychosocial outcomes in children 18 months later. Parent engagement in weight talk was also associated with more restrictive food parenting practices 18 months later. ConclusionsParents’ exposure to weight talk as children increased the likelihood of engaging in weight talk with their own children and had harmful associations over time with parent restrictive feeding practices, child weight, and psychosocial wellbeing in children. Health care providers may want to consider both modeling positive health-focused conversations and educating parents about the potential harmful and long-lasting consequences of engaging in weight talk with their children.

Children's perception of food parenting practices: adaptation and validation of the comprehensive feeding practices questionnaire in Chilean adolescents.

Assessment of the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire in adolescents (CFPQ-Teen) is still limited, with no evaluation of the measurement invariance. The participants comprised 473 Chilean adolescents of both sexes from dual-income nuclear families. The aims of this study were: (1) to adapt to Spanish and validate a model of five-factor version the CFPQ-Teen; (2) to examine the psychometric properties, (3) to evaluate the measurement invariance according to the adolescents' gender; and (4) to compare the scores of each factor between female and male adolescents. The instrument was translated, back-translated, and adapted from the CFPQ-Teen, confirming the equivalence, conceptual, and face validity in a pilot sample of 40 adolescents. An exploratory factor analysis was performed on the five-factor model of the CFPQ-Teen: Monitoring, Adolescent Control, Restriction for weight control, Parental Modeling, and Environment. The Environment factor was eliminated as a result. The confirmatory factor analysis presented good reliability, convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity values. In addition, medium to high goodness-of-fit levels were obtained by eliminating an item from the Adolescent Control factor. These results confirm a final 20-item model representing four factors. The multigroup invariance analysis of the measurement model verified configural, metric, scalar, and partial strict invariance. No significant differences were found between females and males in the scores on the four factors. These results enable comparisons by sex on the perceptions of Food Parenting Practices from the analyzed factors, primarily within the context of the Chilean sample.

Associations between parental engagement in disordered eating behaviors and use of specific food parenting practices within a racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse sample

Parents influence their children's eating behaviors through their use of food parenting practices, or goal-directed behaviors that guide both what and how they feed their child. Prior research suggests that parents who engage in disordered eating behaviors are more likely to use coercive food parenting practices, which are known to be associated with the development of maladaptive eating behaviors in young people. The present study sought to extend our current understanding by examining the association between parental engagement in disordered eating behaviors and use of a broader range of food parenting practices in a socioeconomically and racially diverse, population-based sample (n = 1306 parents/child dyads). Parents self-reported their disordered eating behaviors, as well as use of coercive and structure-based food parenting practices. A series of separate linear regression models, adjusting for parent and child sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics, revealed that parents engaging in restrictive disordered eating behaviors and binge eating reported significantly higher levels of coercive food parenting practices, including pressure-to-eat, restriction, threats and bribes, and using food to control negative emotions. Parental engagement in restrictive disordered eating behaviors was also associated with significantly higher use of food rules and limits. Overall, parental engagement in compensatory disordered eating behaviors was significantly associated with higher levels of restrictive and emotional feeding practices, as well as with lower levels of monitoring. Given prior research supporting a relationship between exposure to coercive control food parenting practices and the development of maladaptive eating behaviors in young people, results from the current study provide support for the role that food parenting practices might play in the intergenerational transmission of disordered eating behaviors.

Living in food insecurity: A qualitative study exploring parents' food parenting practices and their perceptions of the impact of food insecurity on their children's eating

Food insecurity in rich countries is a growing problem with far reaching consequences but how it impacts parents, particularly their food parenting practices, is under researched. Food parenting practices play a critical role in the development of children's eating and may be a mechanism in the link between food insecurity and children's health outcomes; this study aims to illuminate their potential role. Twenty-one parents participated in a qualitative interview study. Their household food security was very low (18/21) or low (3/21). Reflexive Thematic Analysis generated three themes. Challenges of food insecurity: parents shielded children from hunger by eating less themselves, relying on free school meals and turning to family and food banks when in crisis. They perceived a conflict between giving children food of high nutritional quality and its cost. Practical impact of food insecurity: although motivated to provide children with healthy food, finances meant parents struggled to achieve this goal. Parents used a range of food parenting practices but their use of some that are known to be effective may have been compromised by their food insecurity. Emotional impact of food insecurity: parents described feelings of failure, despair, helplessness and shame. Food insecurity adversely effects both children and parents, and non-stigmatising services that mitigate its impact and facilitate children's exposure to food parenting practices known to be effective are needed.

Fathers’ use of social media for social comparison is associated with their food parenting practices

Over 85% of parents use social media; however, limited research has investigated the associations between parental social media use and food parenting practices. The objectives of this study were to: 1) describe how mothers and fathers use social media focused on topics related to child feeding and family meals; and 2) examine associations between parental social media use focused on child feeding and family meals and mothers' and fathers' food parenting practices. Data were obtained from 179 mothers and 116 fathers of children aged 3–8 years enrolled in a family-based obesity prevention intervention. We used descriptive statistics to describe parents' social media use in relation to child feeding and family meals and linear regressions with generalized estimating equations to explore associations between parents' social media use and food parenting practices. Models were stratified by parent gender and adjusted for household income, parent ethnicity, parent age, child sex, and intervention status. A higher percent of mothers than fathers reported using social media to seek information related to child feeding and family meals (64.8% mothers; 25.0% fathers) and to share and compare family meals and food choices (41.9% mothers; 19.8% fathers). While social media use was not associated with food parenting practices in mothers, fathers’ social media use to share and compare family meals and food choices was associated with negative food parenting practices, i.e., greater use of food for emotional regulation (β = 0.37, p = 0.02) and greater use of food for reward (β = 0.34, p = 0.02). Study results can inform strategies to promote healthy social media use among parents of young children.

Application of the Social Cognitive Theory amid food parenting practices of Black immigrant mothers in the US: A qualitative study.

Children of Black immigrant parents living in the US are at elevated risk of being overweight or obese, thus increasing their risks of morbidity and mortality as they age. Parents play a crucial role in shaping their children's nutrition through their food parenting practices. The Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) can explain Black immigrant mother's FPP and their children's dietary behavior. This study aimed to assess SCT's constructs, personal (maternal knowledge, attitudes, beliefs) and environmental factors (acculturation) in relation to the behavioral factor (food parenting practices) among a sample of Black immigrant mothers living in Metro Atlanta, Georgia. Convenience sampling was employed to recruit 30 Black immigrant mothers who lived in seven Metro Atlanta, Georgia counties in the summer of 2022. Four focus group interviews were conducted over two weeks. The qualitative data analysis was thematic. Focus group data analysis revealed seven major themes: knowledge, attitude, belief, modeling, acculturation, coercive control, and structure, and six subthemes. Mothers discussed being intentional about encouraging healthy foods and limiting unhealthy foods for their children. Overall, acculturation influenced mothers' food parenting practices. Since migrating to the US, some mothers' nutrition changed in positive (e.g., eating more fruits) and negative ways (e.g., snacking more) because of schedules, cost, and access. Children ate a mixed diet, the mother's native diet and the American diet, and the former was considered healthier and affordable by most. This is the first study to look at the food parenting practices of Black immigrants in the US. By identifying key factors that influence the food parenting practices of this population and their children's dietary habits, this study's findings are useful to practitioners or researchers who work with this population on nutrition.

Food Parenting Practices Promoted by Childcare and Primary Healthcare Centers in Chile: What Influences Do These Practices Have on Parents? A Qualitative Study.

Chile, like many other countries in the world, is experiencing a high prevalence of childhood overweight. Among the factors influencing children's eating behaviors are the food parenting practices promoted by community organizations. More information is needed on the influences of these recommendations on the parenting practices of parents of preschoolers. This study examined what types of food parenting practices are promoted in childcare and primary healthcare centers and how these recommendations influence subsequent parental behavior. Interviews using photo-elicitation were conducted with 25 parents of Chilean preschoolers. The interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Five themes were identified to describe food parenting practices promoted by community organizations and the influences that these practices had on parents of preschoolers. Healthcare centers were found to educate parents and provided a structured feeding. However, parents found their advice regarding dietary restriction challenging to follow. Childcare centers also provided information about healthy diet, food monitoring, and diversifying the child's diet in a way that was perceived as adequate. While childcare centers encouraged structured and autonomous food parenting practices in a positive and supportive manner, healthcare centers tended to provide more restrictive guidance that posed challenges for parents struggling with preschool nutritional care.

Associations between feeding coparenting and food parenting practices: An observational study

Feeding coparenting, defined as the way that parents work together and support each other in food parenting, is an emerging area of research. Understanding how feeding coparenting may influence the practices parents use when feeding children can help to inform strategies to support positive food parenting. The objective of this study was to examine the associations between observed feeding coparenting and observed food parenting practices among 68 families with children 18 months to 5 years of age. Videos of mealtimes were used to assess observed feeding coparenting and food parenting practices. Observed feeding coparenting was coded using the Observed Feeding Coparenting Tool and observed food parenting practices were coded using the Family Mealtime Coding System. Linear regressions were used to examine associations between observed feeding coparenting and observed food parenting practices. Higher total feeding coparenting scores were associated with less frequent verbal restriction from mothers, more positive comments about food from fathers, and better mealtime tone. Higher supportive feeding was associated with less frequent verbal restrictions from mothers, more frequent physical pressure to eat from fathers, and more positive comments from fathers about food. Higher meal enjoyment among fathers was associated with better mealtime tone. Results of this study highlight the importance of assessing feeding coparenting in studies exploring food parenting and family meals, and the potential value of developing interventions that aim to support parents in working together at mealtime and in feeding.

Parenting practices are associated with adolescent food choices during independent eating occasions.

Frequency of independent eating occasions (iEOs) has been linked to intake of unhealthy foods and overweight/obesity among adolescents. Parenting practices involving modeling healthy food intake and making healthy foods available have been associated with healthy food intake among adolescents, however, little is known about these associations during iEOs. To determine whether parenting practices involving structure (monitoring, availability, modeling, and expectations), lack of structure (indulgence), and autonomy support reported by adolescents or parents were associated with adolescent iEO intake of junk foods, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), sugary foods, and fruit and vegetables. Cross-sectional study measuring parenting practices and adolescent iEO food choices via an online survey and adapted food frequency questionnaire. Parent/adolescent dyads (n = 622) completed surveys (November-December 2021) using a national Qualtrics panel database. Adolescents were 11-14 years and had iEOs at least weekly. Primary measures included parent- and adolescent-reported frequency of food parenting practices and adolescent-reported iEO intake of junk foods, sugary foods, SSBs, and fruits and vegetables. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine associations between parenting practices and iEO intake of foods/beverages, adjusting for adolescent's age, sex, race and ethnicity, iEO frequency, parent's education and marital status, and household food security status. Bonferroni multiple comparison corrections were conducted. More than half of parents were female (66%) and 35-64 years (58%). Adolescents/parents identified as White/Caucasian (44%/42%), Black/African American (28%/27%), Asian (21%/23%), and Hispanic ethnicity (42%/42%). Positive associations were observed among adolescent-reported and parent-reported autonomy support, monitoring, indulgence and expectations parenting practices and adolescent-reported daily iEO intake frequencies of junk foods, sugary foods, and fruits and vegetables (p < 0.001). Structural and autonomy support parenting practices were positively associated with both healthy and unhealthy iEO food intake by adolescents. Interventions to improve adolescent iEO intake could promote positive practices associated with healthy food consumption.

Evaluating the influence of low birth weight on food parenting practices in preschool children

Food parenting practices, especially Autonomy Support practices and Structure practices, have not been comprehensively studied among parents of children born with low birth weight in Asia. The aim of this study was to investigate food parenting practices among parents of preschoolers who were born with low (<2500 g) and normal birth weight (≥2500 g) in Singapore. We recruited 197 parents of pre-school children (aged 3–5 years) who completed a socio-demographic questionnaire and the HomeSTEAD questionnaire, which examined food parenting practices. Among parents, 98 (49.8%) and 99 (50.2%) had children who were normal (NBW) and low birth weight (LBW) respectively. Parents of children with LBW had lower scores in one Autonomy Support practice (Encouragement) and three Structure practices (Meal setting, Planning and preparation of healthy meals, Rules and limits around unhealthy foods), after controlling for ethnicity and parental education. Parents of children with LBW also scored higher in one Autonomy Support practice (Guided choices: when food is given). There were no significant differences in Coercive Control practices between parents of both groups. Healthcare professionals could use this information to assess parental needs when facilitating parents’ positive food parenting practices, especially among children with low birth weight.

Food Parenting Practices and Child Eating Behaviors in Australian Families: A Cross-Sectional Sibling Design

BackgroundResearch on feeding in early childhood has focused primarily on parent–child dyadic interactions, despite parents enacting these practices within the complex dynamic of the family system. ObjectiveUsing a sibling design, this study aimed to assess how parents may adapt their food parenting practices for siblings in response to differences in their eating behaviors. DesignA cross-sectional online survey was conducted between October and December 2022. Participants/settingData were collected from parents (97.5% women) in Australia with 2 children aged 2 to 5 years (n = 336 parents and n = 672 children). Main outcome measuresSurvey items were completed for each sibling, and included four subscales of the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire and seven subscales of the Feeding Practices and Structure Questionnaire-28. Statistical analyses performedMultiple linear regression models examined associations between within-sibling pair differences in child eating behaviors and food parenting practices, adjusting for differences in child body mass index z score, age, gender, and early feeding method. ResultsWithin-sibling pair differences in eating behaviors were associated with differences in some food parenting practices. For the fussier sibling, parents reported using more control-based practices, including persuasive feeding, reward for eating, and reward for behavior, and less of the structure-based practice, family meal settings (P values < 0.001). Similar directions of associations were found for persuasive feeding, reward for eating, and family meal settings with siblings who were slower eaters or more satiety responsive (P values < 0.007); however, no significant differences in reward for behavior were observed in relation to sibling differences in these eating behaviors. For the more food responsive sibling, parents reported using more control-based practices, including reward for behavior and overt restriction (P values < 0.002). ConclusionsWithin families, parents may adapt certain practices in response to differences in their children's eating behaviors. Interventions promoting responsive feeding should be designed to acknowledge the integral role of siblings in shaping parents' feeding decisions.

Intergenerational Effects of Lay Beliefs: How Parents’ Unhealthy = Tasty Intuition Influences Their Children’s Food Consumption and Body Mass Index

Abstract Childhood obesity is a major problem worldwide and a key contributor to adult obesity. This research explores caregivers’ lay beliefs and food parenting practices, and their long-term, intergenerational effects on their children’s food consumption and physiology. First, a cross-cultural survey reveals the link between parents’ belief that tasty food is unhealthy and the use of extrinsic rewards to encourage their children to eat healthily, with adverse downstream consequences for the children’s body mass indices. Next, two studies demonstrate the mechanism by which this strategy backfires, as providing extrinsic rewards ironically increases children’s unhealthy food consumption, which in turn leads to an increase in their body mass indices. The final two studies demonstrate potential solutions for public policy and health practitioners, either by manipulating “unhealthy = tasty” beliefs directly or by breaking the association between these food beliefs and the use of extrinsic rewards through an intervention.