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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #409398

Research Project: Dietary and Physical Activity Guidance for Weight Loss and Maintenance

Location: Healthy Body Weight Research

Title: Parenting status and dietary quality: variations by race and ethnicity

Author
item SMITH, JANE - Texas A&M University
item Hess, Julie

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/29/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Although previous studies have examined the relationship between parenting status and food intake, as well as the relationship between race/ethnicity and food intake, it remains unclear what–if any–interactive effects exist. Using data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES), we examined how the relationship between parenting status (mothers, childless women, fathers, and childless men) and diet quality varied by race and ethnicity. Results indicated that parenting status mattered for diet quality only among Non-Hispanic white individuals, even after controlling for a variety of sociodemographic characteristics. This suggests the effects of parenting on eating habits may be culturally specific. Therefore, improving dietary quality may benefit from an intersectional approach.