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

Abstract

Background: Children’s food preference and intake patterns are affected by parental child feeding practices. The objective of this study was to determine patterns of food parenting practices regarding junk food and sugary drinks (JS) and to investigate their associations with demographic characteristics and dietary intake in a large cohort of parents and their children (12-17 years). Methods: Dyadic survey data from the cross-sectional, internet-based Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating Study, conducted in 2014, were analyzed using latent class analysis to identify patterns of parent- and child-reported JS parenting practices (n=6). Model covariates included self-reported parent sex, body mass index, sugar intake, and legitimacy of parental authority; and self-reported child age, sex, body mass index percentile, sugar intake, and legitimacy of parental authority. Results: Based on 1,657 parent-child dyads, five latent classes were identified – Complete Influencers (28%), Indifferent Influencers (21%), Negative Influencers (20%), Minimal Influencers (18%), and Disagreeing Influencers (13%). Compared to older child dyads, younger child dyads had 77% and 65% lower odds of belonging to Indifferent and Minimal Influencers versus Complete Influencers. Odds of belonging to Negative Influencers were 3% higher for every teaspoon increase in parent sugar intake from sugar-sweetened beverages while odds for Minimal Influencers were 8% lower for every teaspoon increase in child sugar intake from sugar-sweetened beverages versus Complete Influencers. Dyads with low compared to high parental and child agreement with legitimacy of parental authority regarding JS had between 2 and 27 times the odds of belonging to one of the other classes versus Complete Influencers. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that parents utilize distinct patterns of feeding practices related to JS, and those patterns vary by dyadic demographic characteristics, dietary intake, and perceived legitimacy of parental authority. Counseling or intervening with parents to use a mix of structure practices to positively influence their child’s and possibly their own intake of sugary snacks and drinks may prove more efficacious than use of coercive control practices.