Associations among parental feeding styles and children's food intake in families with limited incomes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although general parenting styles and restrictive parental feeding practices have been associated with children's weight status, few studies have examined the association between feeding styles and proximal outcomes such as children's food intake, especially in multi-ethnic families with limited incomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of parental feeding styles and young children's evening food intake in a multiethnic sample of families in Head Start.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participants were 715 Head Start children and their parents from Texas and Alabama representing three ethnic groups: African-American (43%), Hispanic (29%), and White (28%). The Caregivers Feeding Styles Questionnaire (Hughes) was used to characterize authoritative, authoritarian (referent), indulgent or uninvolved feeding styles. Food intake in several food groups was calculated from 3 days of dietary recalls for the child for evening food intakes from 3 PM until bedtime.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared to children of authoritarian parents, intakes of fruits, juice and vegetables were lowest among children of indulgent or uninvolved parents (1.77 ± 0.09 vs 1.45 ± 0.09 and 1.42 ± 0.11 cups) as were intakes of dairy foods (0.84 ± 0.05 vs 0.67 ± 0.05 and 0.63+0.06 cups), respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Findings suggest that permissive parent feeding styles like indulgent or uninvolved relate negatively to children's intake of nutrient-rich foods fruit, 100% fruit juice, vegetables and dairy foods from 3 PM until bedtime.</p

Food Parenting Measurement Issues: Working Group Consensus Report

Childhood obesity is a growing problem. As more researchers become involved in the study of parenting influences on childhood obesity, there appears to be a lack of agreement regarding the most important parenting constructs of interest, definitions of those constructs, and measurement of those constructs in a consistent manner across studies. This article aims to summarize findings from a working group that convened specifically to discuss measurement issues related to parental influences on childhood obesity. Six subgroups were formed to address key measurement issues. The conceptualization subgroup proposed to define and distinguish constructs of general parenting styles, feeding styles, and food parenting practices with the goal of understanding interrelating levels of parental influence on child eating behaviors. The observational subgroup identified the need to map constructs for use in coding direct observations and create observational measures that can capture the bidirectional effects of parent?child interactions. The self-regulation subgroup proposed an operational definition of child self-regulation of energy intake and suggested future measures of self-regulation across different stages of development. The translational/community involvement subgroup proposed the involvement of community in the development of surveys so that measures adequately reflect cultural understanding and practices of the community. The qualitative methods subgroup proposed qualitative methods as a way to better understand the breadth of food parenting practices and motivations for the use of such practices. The longitudinal subgroup stressed the importance of food parenting measures sensitive to change for use in longitudinal studies. In the creation of new measures, it is important to consider cultural sensitivity and context-specific food parenting domains. Moderating variables such as child temperament and child food preferences should be considered in models.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140331/1/chi.2013.0032.pd

Concordance of Self-Report and Measured Height and Weight of College Students

Objective: This study examined associations between college students\u27 self-report and measured height and weight. Methods: Participants (N = 1,686) were 77% white, 62% female, aged 18–24 years (mean ± SD, 19.1 ± 1.1 years), and enrolled at 8 US universities. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated for self-report (via online survey); trained researchers measured height and weight and categorized them as normal (18.5 to \u3c 25), overweight (25 to \u3c 30), obese (30 to \u3c 35), and morbidly obese (≥ 35). Results: Concordance of self-report vs objectively measured BMI groups using chi-square revealed that 93% were accurate, 4% were underestimated, and 2.7% were overestimated. Pearson correlations and adjusted linear regression revealed significant associations between self-report and measured BMI (r = .97; P \u3c .001) and BMI adjusted for age, gender, and race/ethnicity (R2 = .94). Concordance was also high between BMI categories (kappa = 0.77; P \u3c .001). Conclusions and Implications: Findings provide support for the utility of self-report height and weight for survey research in college students

Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling of Students’ Dietary Intentions/Behaviors, BMI, and the Healthfulness of Convenience Stores

When dietary behaviors are habitual, intentions are low, and environmental cues, such as the consumer food environment, might guide behavior. How might intentions to eat healthily and ultimately actual dietary behaviors, be influenced by the consumer food environment (including the availability and affordability of healthy foods) in convenience stores? This study will determine pathways between the healthfulness of convenience stores and college students' dietary intentions/behaviors, and body mass index (BMI)

Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling of Students\u27 Dietary Intentions/Behaviors, BMI, and the Healthfulness of Convenience Stores.

BACKGROUND: When dietary behaviors are habitual, intentions are low, and environmental cues, such as the consumer food environment, might guide behavior. How might intentions to eat healthily and ultimately actual dietary behaviors, be influenced by the consumer food environment (including the availability and affordability of healthy foods) in convenience stores? This study will determine pathways between the healthfulness of convenience stores and college students\u27 dietary intentions/behaviors, and body mass index (BMI).METHODS: Through multilevel structural equation modeling, a comparison was made of students\u27 healthful meal intentions (HMI); intake (fruits/vegetables, %kcal/fat, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and whole-grains); and measured BMI; as well as the healthfulness of convenience stores (fruits/vegetables availability/quality, healthy food availability/affordability). Data was collected on 1401 students and 41 convenience stores across 13 US college campuses.RESULTS: Controlling for gender, HMI was negatively associated with SSBs (β = -0.859) and %kcal/fat (β = -1.057) and positively with whole-grains (β = 0.186) and fruits/vegetables intake (β = 0.267); %Kcal/fat was positively (β = 0.098) and fruits/vegetables intake (β = -0.055) negatively associated with BMI. Campus level, fruits/vegetables availability were positively associated to HMI (β = 0.214, β = 0.129) and directly/negatively to BMI (β = -2.657, β = -1.124).CONCLUSIONS: HMI modifies dietary behaviors, with energy from fat and fruit/vegetable intake the most predictive of weight. Availability of fruit/vegetables in convenience stores make it easier for young adults to eat well

The Prevalence and Treatment of Obesity in Adolescence (Weight Control)

290 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1985.The bleak outlook for obese children who do not attain normal weight by the end of adolescence and the high incidence of obesity in children make adolescent obesity a major public health problem. The prevalence of obesity in a local population of 12 and 13 year-olds was 19% or greater as determined by a health screening of 400 junior high school students on two successive years. Intervention was indicated from the high prevalence of obesity and a study was designed (1) to develop, implement and evaluate an intervention program for obese adolescent girls, (2) to discriminate completers from dropouts, and (3) to identify contributors to changes in health parameters. A pilot study and two treatment replications were conducted for twenty-six 12-15 year-old obese girls, passed menarche. Weight Winners, a multicomponent and multidisciplinary intervention program, was developed. Evaluation results of 12 completers from before, after and at a 7-9 month follow-up indicated that the treatment program was successful in (1) reducing rate of gain and decreasing ideal body weight by 11% while maintaining lean tissue and basal metabolic rate, (2) improving cardiovascular fitness, self-esteem and self-control, and (3) improving eating and exercise behaviors. Program completers were discriminated from non-completers by having better educated parents, being older, having lower resting heart rates and having a sibling overweight. Implementing a fee contingent on attendance and on record keeping greatly reduced attrition. Subjects cited the Weight Winners program, aerobic exercise, changes in eating behaviors, group and family support, and encouragement and praise from the group leader as important contributors to success in weight control. Barriers to change were reported by participants as boredom, hunger, lack of family and peer group support and having food in sight. The treatment of adolescent obesity is complex, but one which can be successful if given appropriate treatment goals, motivated adolescents, a good multidisciplinary and multicomponent intervention program, a conducive setting, parental support, and enthusiastic and understanding instructors.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD

Maternal Parenting Behaviors During Childhood Relate to Weight Status and Fruit and Vegetable Intake of College Students

OBJECTIVE: Examine how maternal parenting behaviors in childhood, both general and feeding specific, relate to weight status and fruit and vegetable consumption in college students.DESIGN: Retrospective surveys on maternal behaviors and assessments on the college-aged child\u27s current anthropometric measures and dietary intakes.PARTICIPANTS: College students (n = 424; 66% women).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Students\u27 weight, height, waist circumference, fruit and vegetable intakes, students\u27 reports on mothers\u27 general and feeding-specific parenting behaviors during childhood.ANALYSIS: Correlation and regression analyses tested how maternal behaviors in childhood related to students\u27 body mass index, waist circumference, and fruit and vegetable intake.RESULTS: Mothers\u27 psychological control during childhood was associated with higher body mass index and waist circumference in students, and behavioral control was associated with lower waist circumference. Parent-centered feeding behaviors related to lower fruit and vegetable intakes of students, whereas child-centered feeding behaviors related to higher fruit and vegetable intakes.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings suggest that parental use of behavioral control and child-centered feeding practices and minimal use of psychological control and parent-centered feeding practices during childhood may promote a child\u27s healthful weight status and fruit and vegetable consumption in young adulthood, specifically during college

Improving Measurement of the EFNEP Outcomes Using Factor Analysis of the Behavior Checklist

This article advances the literature on assessment of EFNEP\u27s effectiveness. Factor analysis of Behavior Checklist items were performed to arrive at a parsimonious set of constructs used to assess the effects of program attributes on participants\u27 behavior change. Based on the data from Michigan EFNEP, the use of constructs demonstrated a robust method of assessing program effectiveness. The greatest behavior changes were with participants taught by program assistants with fewer than 2, 2-5, or more than 15 years of experience. Hispanic participants reported higher levels of behavior changes, as did participants who received EFNEP curriculum in a one-on-one setting

Low-income young adults report increased variety in fruit and vegetable intake after a stage-tailored intervention

The objective of this study was to determine if a fruit and vegetable (FV) intervention, previously demonstrated to increase amount of FV per day, also increased the variety consumed. Variety in FV intake was assessed using a 26-item FV (12 fruit and 14 vegetable) food frequency questionnaire on 1255 low-income adults, with ages from 18 to 24 years (control = 684 vs experimental = 571), after completion of a stage-tailored intervention to increase FV intakes. The food frequency questionnaire was administered at 12 months to assess how often and how much participants ate of each item over the previous year. Variety was defined as the number of different types of fruits and vegetables consumed. At completion, the experimental group vs the control group had significantly greater variety in number of fruit items (9.5 ± 0.1 vs 9.1 ± 0.1, P ≤ .001) and vegetable items (11.5 ± 0.1 vs 11.2 ± 0.1, P \u3c .01) as well as greater total intake of fruits (2.73 ± 0.09 vs 2.33 ± 0.11 cups, P \u3c .01) and vegetables (1.87 ± 0.10 vs 1.62 ± 0.01 cups, P ≤ .001) and a greater consumption of the categories of seasonal fruits (P \u3c .05), juices (P \u3c .01), and high-β-carotene vegetables (P ≤ .001). This is one of the first studies to document an increase in FV variety as a result of an educational intervention for low-income young adults. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Internet-based Interventions Have Potential to Affect Short-term Mediators and Indicators of Dietary Behavior of Young Adults

Objective: Evaluate a theory-based, Internet-delivered nutrition education module. Design: Randomized, treatment-control design with pre-post intervention assessments. Setting and Participants: Convenience sample of 160 young adults (aged 18-24) recruited by community educators in 4 states. Study completers (n = 96) included a mix of racial/ethnic groups and family demographics, but were predominately white females without children. Intervention: A Transtheoretical Model (TTM)-based, stage-tailored Internet program, F&V (Fruit & Vegetable) Express Bites, was delivered to treatment group participants; controls received nontailored messages in a comparable format. Main Outcome Measures and Analysis: TTM constructs at baseline, immediately postviewing, and at 30-day follow-up were compared via chi-square, McNemar\u27s test, and logistic regression. Qualitative use and acceptability indicators were collected postviewing (treatment only). Results: Of baseline respondents, 86.5% completed the study. At follow-up, self-efficacy, decisional balance, and selected processes improved for both groups, with only marginal advantages for the theory-based version. Fruit and vegetable consumption changes were similar for both groups. Qualitative measures of knowledge, confidence, and motivation improved (not measured for controls). Favorable ratings of treatment program acceptability and personal relevance were reported. Conclusions and Implications: The Internet is a favorable option for reaching young adults with nutrition messages. This study did not identify strong advantages of theory-based tailoring, especially for fruit consumption, which had weaker barriers than vegetable consumption among this target audience. © 2008 SOCIETY FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION