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Research Project: Interplay of the Physical Environment, Social Domain, and Intrapersonal Factors on Nutrition and Physical Activity Related Health Behaviors in Children and Adolescents

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Title: Patterns of food parenting practices regarding junk food and sugary drinks in parent-child dyads

Author
item Thomson, Jessica
item HENNESSY, ERIN - Tufts University
item LANDRY, ALICIA - University Of Central Arkansas
item Goodman, Melissa

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/12/2019
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Background and aims: Because parental child feeding practices affect their child’s dietary intake, we identified patterns of food parenting practices regarding junk food and sugary drinks (JS) in a large sample of parents and their children (12-17 years). Methods: Dyadic survey data from Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health and Eating, a cross-sectional, Internet-based study conducted in 2014, were analyzed. Latent class analysis was used to identify patterns of parent- and child-reported JS parenting practices (n=6). Model covariates included self-reported parent sex, body mass index (BMI), sugar intake, and JS legitimacy of parental authority (LPA); and self-reported child age, sex, BMI percentile, sugar intake, and JS LPA. Results: Based on 1,657 parent-child dyads, five latent classes were identified – Negative Influencers (20%), Indifferent Influencers (21%), Minimal Influencers (18%), Disagreeing Influencers (13%), and Complete Influencers (28%). Compared to older child dyads, younger child dyads had 77%, 65%, and 34% lower odds of belonging to Indifferent, Minimal, and Disagreeing versus Complete Influencers. Odds of belonging to Negative Influencers were 3% higher for every unit increase in parent sugar intake; odds for Minimal Influencers were 8% lower for every unit increase in child sugar intake versus Complete Influencers. Dyads with low (compared to high) parental and child agreement with JS LPA had between 2 and 27 times the odds of belonging to one of the other classes versus Complete Influencers. Conclusions: This study’s findings suggest that distinct patterns of JS parenting practices exist and are associated with dyadic demographic characteristics, dietary intake, and JS LPA.