Patterns of food parenting practices regarding junk food and sugary drinks among parent-child dyads

Retrospective reports of coercive control food parenting practices during childhood are related to eating behaviors in adulthood: A latent profile analysis

Food parenting practices are parents' actions that influence their child's eating habits and food intake. Coercive control food parenting practices are behaviors that seek to satisfy parental desires concerning their child's eating. These practices (including emotional regulation, pressure to eat, food as a reward, restriction for health, and restriction for weight) can have detrimental effects on children's eating behaviors and diet quality. Using a person-centered approach, the present study examined whether experiencing controlling food-related parenting practices as a child relates to eating behaviors, food liking, and food intake in adulthood. Participants were 441 French-Canadian adults (50.2 % female; mean age = 42.7 years). A latent profile analysis (LPA) empirically identified three subgroups of individuals based on patterns of controlling food-related practices used by their parents during childhood. The "high control" subgroup (n = 47) reported more emotional eating, cognitive restraint, and disinhibition than the "moderate control with restriction for health" subgroup (n = 200), which reported higher levels of these behaviors than the "low control" subgroup (n = 194). The "high control" subgroup also reported less intuitive eating and a higher intake frequency of both savory and sweet foods than participants of the two other profiles, which did not differ from each other on these outcomes. Interestingly, liking for savory and sweet foods did not significantly differ among the three groups. Overall, results indicate that exposure to less controlling food parenting practices during childhood is associated with more positive eating behaviors and healthier food intake in adulthood.

The relationship between self-efficacy, motivation, and dietary behaviors within parent-adolescent dyads: Application of actor-partner interdependence models with mediation

The purpose of the study was to examine interdependent relationships between cognitive factors (self-efficacy and motivation) and dietary behaviors (fruit and vegetable (F/V) and junk food and sugar sweetened beverages (JF/SSB) intake) within parent-adolescent dyads. This secondary data analysis was conducted for parent-adolescent dyads using a cross-sectional Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) study. The sample consisted of 1645 parent-adolescent dyads. Parents and adolescents answered questions regarding self-efficacy, motivation, and dietary behaviors. Actor-partner interdependence models with mediation (APIMeM) were run within parent-adolescent dyads. Adolescent's F/V and JF/SSB intake were positively associated with that of their parents. The relationship between F/V self-efficacy or F/V motivation and F/V intake showed the actor-partner pattern within the parent-adolescent dyads. The actor-only pattern was mainly reported for the relationship between JF/SSB self-efficacy or JF/SSB motivation and JF/SSB intake. In the F/V intake APIMeM, motivation mostly plays a mediating role in the relationship between self-efficacy and F/V intake within the parent-adolescent dyads. In the JF/SSB intake APIMeM, all the actor-actor mediations and only one partner-actor mediation of motivation were significantly confirmed in the relationship between self-efficacy and JF/SSB intake. This study highlighted the importance of parental involvement in promoting healthy dietary behaviors in adolescents. Personalized nutrition programs targeting both adolescents and their parents as a single unit of intervention should be provided.

Direct and indirect relationships between Food Parental Practices, diet quality, and food satisfaction in adolescents

Introduction

The relationship between four parental feeding practices from the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire for adolescents (CFPQ-Teen) and Satisfaction With Food-related Life (SWFoL) in adolescents was evaluated using diet quality measured using the Adapted Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) as a mediating variable.

Methods

Participants were 860 adolescents aged 10-16 years of both sexes who responded to four factors on the CFPQ-Teen, food satisfaction scale, and diet quality index. Structural equation analysis was used in a structural mediation model on a polychoric correlation matrix using the weighted least squares mean-variance adjusted (WLSMV) method.

Results

Diet quality was a mediating factor in the interaction between two parental practices related to parental modeling and adolescent control over SWFoL. There was evidence of a direct relationship between monitoring and restrictive factors for weight control and SWFoL.

Conclusions

The findings indicated that the association between parental feeding practices and food satisfaction may be direct or mediated by diet quality in adolescents.

A Clinical Tutorial on Methods to Capture and Contrive Establishing Operations to Teach Mands

Mands are consistently described as critical learning targets for members of vulnerable populations in need of language intervention (Ala'i-Rosales et al., 2018; Michael, 1988; Sundberg, 2004). Reviews of the literature demonstrate a prevalence of the mand in the applied literature (e.g., DeSouza et al., 2017). Yet, gaps between research and practice exist in scientific fields resulting in decades-long delays between identification of evidence-based approaches and adoption in everyday use. The mand may be particularly at risk for procedural drift in practice settings given the sometimes elusive nature of establishing operations (EOs) and the relative complexity of procedures used to contrive them. Thus, the purpose of this tutorial is to build upon prior conceptual (e.g., Shafer, 1994) and applied (e.g., Cengher et al., 2022) reviews on mands to provide a contemporary, in-depth review of three procedures used to contrive EOs: incidental teaching, the interrupted chains procedure, and programmed restriction of reinforcers. Recent examples from the literature are discussed along with considerations for use in practice. Resources to support implementation including integrity checklists and role play scenarios are provided.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40617-024-00985-3.

Relationship between motivations and dietary behaviours within parent-adolescent dyads: Application of actor-partner interdependence models

BACKGROUND

Parents play a substantial role in improving adolescent dietary behaviours.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the interdependent relationships between motivations (autonomous and emotional motivation) and dietary behaviours (fruit and vegetable [F/V] and junk food and sugar-sweetened beverage [JF/SSB] intake) within parent-adolescent dyads.

METHODS

This secondary data analysis was conducted on 1522 parent-adolescent dyads using a cross-sectional Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) study. The ratio of boys to girls among the adolescents was approximately equal, and 74% of the parents were mothers. The adolescents were between 12 and 17 years old, and 85.5% of the parents were between 35 and 59 years old. Parents and adolescents completed an online survey on dietary motivations and behaviours. Actor-partner interdependence models were performed within parent-adolescent dyads.

RESULTS

F/V and JF/SSB intake was influenced by parents' or adolescents' autonomous motivation (actor-only pattern), except among adolescents with obesity. A dyadic pattern was found in the relationship between autonomous motivation and F/V and JF/SSB intake, but only among adolescents with normal weight. No relationship was found between F/V and JF/SSB controlled motivation and F/V or JF/SSB intake among adolescents with overweight or obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

Autonomous motivation had a significant relationship with F/V and JF/SSB intake for both parents and adolescents, but the association varied depending on the adolescents' weight. Personalized programmes that foster autonomous motivation to change dietary behaviours should be provided based on the adolescents' weight status.

Dietary pattern trajectories in early childhood and their associations with patterns of maternal feeding practices in a multi-ethnic Asian cohort

BACKGROUND

Maternal feeding practices play a major role in children's dietary intakes. However, there is limited data on the associations between trajectories of dietary patterns (DPs) and patterns of maternal feeding practices during early childhood.

METHODS

Using data from a multi-ethnic Asian cohort study, namely the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO), dietary intakes were measured using Food Frequency Questionnaires in children at 18 months, 5 and 7 years of age. Maternal feeding practices were assessed using validated questionnaires at 15 months, 3 and 5 years of age. Principal component analysis was used to derive 2 major DPs at all time-points as well as patterns of maternal feeding practices. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to identify trajectory groups for the derived DPs. Multivariable logistic regression examined associations between patterns of maternal feeding practices and DP trajectory groups.

RESULTS

Two DPs, namely the 'healthy' and 'less healthy' were consistently derived at 18 months, 5 and 7 years of age. From each DP, 2 stable DP trajectory groups were further identified between 18 months and 7 years of age. For the 'healthy' DP trajectory, majority of the children (Group 1) formed a consistent average adherence trajectory group (91.8%) while the remaining children (Group 2) showed a higher but decreasing adherence (8.2%) to this DP. For the 'less healthy' DP trajectory, most children (Group 1) formed a consistent average adherence trajectory (95.5%), while the remainder (Group 2) showed consistent higher adherence to this 'less healthy' DP (4.5%). Two patterns of maternal feeding practices were derived and labelled as 'structured with autonomy support' and 'coercive control', respectively, at ages 15 months, 3 and 5 years. Children whose mothers showed high adherence to the structured with autonomy support feeding practices at age 5 years were significantly more likely to be associated with the higher but decreasing 'healthy' DP trajectory group [OR = 3.62 (95% CI: 1.64, 7.99)].

CONCLUSIONS

A small number of children in this multi-ethnic study showed high adherence to the 'healthy' or 'less healthy' DP trajectory groups, respectively, while the majority showed average adherence to either of these trajectories. The positive association between structured with autonomy support maternal feeding practices and higher z-scores for the healthy DP trajectory highlights the importance of guiding parents on appropriate feeding practices.

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

Introduction

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.

Methods

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.

Results

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.

Discussion

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.

Leisure screen time predicts free sugar consumption in children

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate free sugar consumption (FSC) in relation to leisure screen time in children.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data of 424 healthy Saudi children ages 6 to 12 y were included in this study. Data pertaining to sociodemographic characteristics and leisure screen time (including time spent viewing TV, gaming, and use of electronic devices [e.g., computer, tablet, and smartphone]) in children were collected from mothers via an online questionnaire. A phone interview was later conducted with the mother and child to assess FSC using a previously validated 40-item food frequency questionnaire.

RESULTS

Our data found that a large proportion of children exceeded the maximum limit of screen time recommended for children, of ≤2 h/d (61.7%; n = 262). Child and maternal ages and child's birth order among siblings were significantly associated with the duration of leisure screen time (screen time within the recommendation of ≤2 h/d versus screen time that exceeded the recommendation; P < 0.050). Exceeding the recommendation of screen time predicted an increase of 8.96 g/d of FSC from liquid foods, 10.7 g/d of FSC from solid foods, and 19.3 g/d of total FSC.

CONCLUSIONS

Exceeding the recommendation of screen time is associated with greater FSC in children. Future interventions should be directed toward restricting screen time and FSC in children.

Contributions of Work-to-Family Enrichment to Parental Food Monitoring and Satisfaction with Food-Related Life during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Dual-Earner Parents and Their Adolescent Children

Evidence shows that numerous family-related variables influence parents’ use of different food parenting practices (FPP), but less is known about the influence of parents’ work-related variables on their use of FPP, and their own and their children’s outcomes in the food domain. To fill this gap, the present study explored intra-individual and inter-individual effects between work-to-family enrichment (WtoFE), parents’ monitoring practices, the adolescent’s perception of their parents’ monitoring practices, and the three family members’ satisfaction with food-related life (SWFoL), in different-sex dual-earner parents with adolescent children. The mediating role of monitoring between WtoFE and SWFoL was also tested. A sample of 430 different-sex dual-earner parents and one of their adolescent children (average age 13.0 years, 53.7% female) were recruited in Rancagua, Chile, during March and June 2020. The three family members answered the monitoring dimension of the Compressive Feeding Practices Questionnaire and the Satisfaction with Food-Related Life Scale. Parents answered a measure of WtoFE based on the Work−Home Interaction Survey. Analyses were conducted using the Actor−Partner Interdependence Model and structural equation modelling. Results showed a positive association between WtoFE and SWFoL, directly (p < 0.001) and through monitoring in fathers (95% confidence interval [0.010, 0.097], actor effect). The father’s (p = 0.042) and mother’s (p = 0.006) WtoFE was positively associated with their adolescent’s SWFoL (partner effects). The father’s (p = 0.002) and mother’s (p = 0.036) WtoFE were positively associated with their own monitoring (actor effect), while only the father’s WtoFE (p = 0.014) was positively associated with the adolescent’s perception of their parents’ monitoring (partner effect). The father’s (p = 0.018) and mother’s (p = 0.003) monitoring, as well as the adolescents’ perception of their parents’ monitoring (p = 0.033), were positively associated with their own SWFoL (actor effects), while the mother’s monitoring (p = 0.043) was also associated with the father’s SWFoL (partner effects). Findings suggest that both parents’ WtoFE improved their monitoring practices, which, in turn, improved their own SWFoL and their adolescent child’s SWFoL. Policymakers and organizations must aim to promote the WtoFE of working parents.

Individual characteristics, including olfactory efficiency, age, body mass index, smoking and the sex hormones status, and food preferences of women in Poland

Background

Food choices made by most people mainly depend on food preferences. Knowing how certain factors affect food preferences can help dietitians working with women to understand the relationship between individual factors and the challenges faced by the women in changing eating habits. The aim of the study was to examine the food preferences of women and to assess the impact of the sense of smell, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking and hormonal status (phase of the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraception) on the declared pleasure derived from eating various types of food.

Methods

A total of 190 women living in the Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolis in Poland aged 18-75 (19.29-26.71 RNO) years participated in the study. The collected survey data included age, BMI, smoking, phase of the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception. Olfactory sensitivity was measured by T08 olfactometer. Additionally, food preferences were assessed, using 24 different food types, which were presented as pictures. To evaluate food preferences 10 cm visual analogue scale was used.

Results

The most liked foods were: fruits (M = 8.81, SD = 1.67), sweet desserts (M = 8.44, SD = 2.30), vegetables and salads (M = 8.08, SD = 2.24), chocolate (M = 7.84, SD = 2.76), and poultry (M = 7.30, SD = 2.47). The least liked foods were: salty products (M = 4.98, SD = 3.03), milk soup (M = 3.30, SD = 3.13), and seafood (M = 2.99, SD = 3.28). The influence of the analyzed factors on the degree of liking six food types was shown. Women with better ability to name scents preferred sausages/ham and beef/pork. Women with a higher BMI had lower preference for jellybeans and broth. Women who were heavier smokers had lower preference for milk soup. In women using hormonal contraception, pleasure from eating sausages and ham was higher than compared to women in all phases of the monthly cycle. In women in the follicular phase the pleasure from eating pasta was lower when compared to women in the ovulatory phase, the luteal phase and those using hormonal contraception. In women in the ovulatory phase the pleasure from eating candies and jellybeans was lower when compared to women in the follicular phase, the luteal phase and those using hormonal contraception. In women in the ovulatory phase, also pleasure from eating broth was lower when compared to women in the luteal phase and those using hormonal contraception.

Conclusions

Among women in Poland, the top five preferred food types are fruits, sweet desserts, vegetables/salads, chocolate and poultry. To confirm the extent to which the declared pleasure derived from eating these food types translates into health condition, further research on the consumption of these food types is necessary. The impact of the sense of smell, BMI, smoking, or menstrual cycle phase and hormonal contraception on the declared pleasure derived from eating was observed for six out of twenty-four food types. The hormonal status was the factor most significantly influencing food preferences.

Parents' Modeling During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Influences on Family Members' Diet Quality and Satisfaction With-Food-Related Life in Dual-Earner Parents With Adolescent Children

Reciprocal family influences in the food domain have been little explored, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. To fill in this gap, this study explored actor and partner effects between parents' food modeling and parents' and their adolescent children's diet quality and satisfaction with food-related life (SWFoL); and the mediating role of diet quality between modeling and SWFoL. This study used a cross-sectional design. A sample of 430 different-sex dual-earner parents and one adolescent child were recruited in Rancagua, Chile, between March and June 2020. Parents answered the modeling dimension of the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire. Parents and adolescents answered the Adapted Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) and the SWFoL Scale. Analyses were conducted using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model and structural equation modeling. Results showed that one parent's modeling enhanced diet quality for themselves, their partner, and the adolescents. Parents' modeling was associated with their own SWFoL, directly and via their own diet quality. There were positive associations between mothers' modeling and adolescents' SWFoL; between mothers' diet quality and fathers' SWFoL; and between mothers' modeling and fathers' SWFoL via the fathers' diet quality. Parents' modeling can improve the three family members' diet quality, while mothers' modeling and diet quality showed to improve fathers' and adolescents' SWFoL.

Perceived Parental Attitudes Are Indirectly Associated with Consumption of Junk Foods and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages among Chinese Adolescents through Home Food Environment and Autonomous Motivation: A Path Analysis

This study aimed to use path analysis to determine the association between perceived parental attitudes toward restricting junk food (JF)/sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake and JF/SSB consumption among Chinese adolescents, and whether JF/SSB availability in the home environment and autonomous motivation of adolescents mediated the association. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using questionnaires adapted from the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) Study to collect data on 3819 participants with an average age of 14.7 years (SD = 1.7). Spearman correlations and path analysis were performed. It was found that perceived parental attitudes were not directly associated with adolescents’ JF/SSB consumption frequency, but indirectly related to them through JF/SSB availability in the home environment and autonomous motivation of adolescents. When parents held a less positive attitude toward JF/SSB consumption and kept less JFs/SSBs at home, youth displayed more autonomous motivation for restricting JF/SSB intake and consumed fewer JFs/SSBs.

Development and preliminary validation of the Adolescent Food Parenting Questionnaire: Parent and adolescent version

Suitable instruments for measuring Food Parenting Practices (FPP) among adolescents and their parents that also measure the perception of adolescents about their parent's FPP are rare. The current study describes the development and preliminary testing of a short 16-item Adolescent Food Parenting Questionnaire (AFPQ) for parents (AFPQ-p) and adolescents (AFPQ-a) that may enable future large-scale research on potentially eminent parent-child FPP discrepancy. Participants included 381 parents (73.8 % mothers; M_age 45.9, 26.2% fathers; M_age 49.1) and their adolescent children (aged 12-16) who participated in the Dutch "G(F)OOD together" study. Most parents finished higher professional education (mothers: 44.3 %; fathers: 34.4 %) and performed a paid job of 32 h per week or more (mothers: 22.1 %; fathers: 60.0 %). The theoretical framework of Vaughn (2016) was leading in the development of the AFPQ. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on a random split sample of parent-adolescent dyads and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on the other half. The EFA in both parent and adolescent samples resulted in a clear 5 factor solution explaining 61.6 % (AFPQ-p) and 64.2 % (AFPQ-a) of the variance respectively, representing the factors Autonomy Support (α = 0.79/.82), Coercive Control (α = 0.85/.83), Snack Structure (α = 0.79/75), Healthy Structure (α = 0.78/74) and Modelling (α = 0.69/85). CFA confirmed good model fit for the AFPQ-p and the AFPQ-a. Associations with adolescent self-reported food intake were in the expected direction, confirming the preliminary convergent validity of the instrument among a moderate to highly educated group of parent-adolescent dyads. Although the AFPQ provides a promising short instrument, future research in more diverse samples is needed to build evidence on the instrument's psychometric characteristics in other groups.

Is the Prospective Link between Parental Stress and Adolescent Snack Intake or Weight Outcome Mediated by Food Parenting Practices?

Parental stress may influence adolescents’ food intake and weight development over time, however, it is largely unknown why this is the case. This study examines whether the link between parental stress and adolescents’ snack intake and weight outcome is mediated by food parenting practices (FPPs). Participants included 400 parents and their adolescent children (aged 12–16) who completed questionnaires. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to assess parental general stress levels and the Adolescent Food Parenting Questionnaire (AFPQ) to assess FPPs. Multiple mediation analyses with parallel mediators were performed, with parental general stress as an independent variable and adolescent snack intake and zBMI as dependent variables. FPPs (autonomy support, coercive control, modeling, healthy structure, snack structure) were entered as mediators in the model, adjusted for covariates. Autonomy support mediated the link between parental general stress and adolescent savory snack and sweet snack intake at follow-up. Parents who reported higher stress levels provided less autonomy support, which resulted in more adolescent snacking. None of the other FPPs mediated any link between parental stress and intake or weight outcome, and no significant indirect effects were observed with zBMI as an outcome variable. Further research should replicate this finding and may further examine underlying mechanisms.