Diversity in fathers' food parenting practices: A qualitative exploration within a heterogeneous sample

Abstract

Background Food parenting practices (FPPs) are important in shaping children’s dietary behaviors. However, existing FPP knowledge is largely based on research with mothers. Purpose This study (1) identified fathers’ FPPs; (2) described differences in FPP use by fathers’ education and residential status. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 fathers (39 ± 9.1 years; 37.5% non-residential; 40% ≥college education). Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. NVivo 10 was used for theme detection, categorization and classification using inductive and deductive approaches. FPPs were identified and their relative distribution was examined across education and residential status. Results Twenty FPPs were identified - 13 responsive practices and 7 unresponsive practices. Having food rules was the most common responsive FPP (81.5%), followed by feeding on schedule (60%) and making healthy food accessible (60%). Common unresponsive FPPs were letting child dictate preferences (70%), incentivizing food consumption (60%) and pressuring the child to eat (35%). Compared to fathers with a college education, more fathers without a college education reported letting child dictate preferences (92% vs. 37%), educating their children about food (37% vs 12%), fewer reported feeding on schedule (50% vs. 75%), modeling healthy practices (29% vs. 50%), and using distraction to feed (4% vs. 37%). Compared to residential fathers, more non-residential fathers monitored (60% vs. 40%) or encouraged (60% vs. 36%) child food intake and let child dictate preferences (87% vs. 60%). Conclusions Fathers used an extensive variety of FPPs, similar to those identified in mothers. Further study on the influence of fathers’ education and residential status on FPP use is warranted.

Deconstructing family meals: Do family structure, gender and employment status influence the odds of having a family meal?

“…These results are concerning given the evidence demonstrating the positive influence fathers’ engagement has on a myriad of child outcomes including their cognitive development, academic achievement and social-emotional wellbeing (Jeynes, 2014; Sarkadi, Kristiansson, Oberklaid, & Bremberg, 2008; Wilson & Prior, 2011). Moreover, albeit limited, there is a growing body of literature suggesting not only that fathers of young children are increasingly becoming more involved in their child’s eating practices (Vollmer et al, 2015b) but that they view their engagement in these routines “within their proximal role as a parent,” thereby suggesting that the gendered division of labor ascribing women as primarily responsible for the home food environment may, indeed, be evolving (Khandpur et al, 2016). …”

“…Moreover, there is a burgeoning body of literature on fathers’ engagement in specific child feeding practices, particularly of young children (Vollmer, Adamsons, Foster, & Mobley, 2015b, 2015a; Khandpur, Charles, Blaine, Blake, & Davison, 2016). In regards to the family meal, there are limited studies that include data on fathers and either examine the association between the frequency of a family meal and parental weight status and/or health behaviors, but they do not capture the father’s participation in the meal itself (Berge et al, 2012; Chan & Sobal, 2011).…”

Fathers' Perspectives on Coparenting in the Context of Child Feeding

“…Details on study methodology, including study design and participant recruitment, can be found elsewhere. 15 Briefly, 40 participants were recruited using a combination of purposive stratified sampling and snowball sampling techniques. These techniques were used to ensure diversity in the education levels and residential status of the sample.…”

“…Recent research with fathers illustrates that they use a wide variety of food parenting practices 15 or strategies to manage how much, when, and what their children eat. 16 Similar to mothers, fathers adopt both unresponsive (permissiveness, coercive control) and responsive (autonomy support, structure) food parenting practices.…”

“…16 Similar to mothers, fathers adopt both unresponsive (permissiveness, coercive control) and responsive (autonomy support, structure) food parenting practices. 15 Differences in the frequency with which mothers and fathers use specific food parenting practices have also been examined. While it has been suggested that fathers may use coercive food parenting practices to feed their children more often than mothers, 17-19 more research is warranted to confirm these initial findings.…”