A question of balance: Explaining differences between parental and grandparental perspectives on preschoolers' feeding and physical activity

Abstract

Rationale Although one quarter of US and UK families rely on grandparents as the main providers of informal childcare, grandparental perspectives on the feeding and physical activity of young children remain understudied. Objective The study's aim was to elucidate parents' and grandparents' perspectives on young children's feeding and physical activity, and identify how they negotiate potential differences between these perspectives. Methods We interviewed 22 parents and 27 grandparents from 16 families of children aged 3–5 years in the Pacific Northwest, US. Using familial homeostasis as a novel theoretical framework, the interviews were analyzed to assess differences between parental and grandparental perspectives on feeding and physical activity. Results The analysis yielded six thematic categories: (1) disagreements about feeding stem from parents' and grandparents' differing definitions of healthy feeding; (2) differences between parents' and grandparents' feeding practices reflect differences in perceived caretaking roles; (3) parents and grandparents negotiate differences in feeding practices through grandparental compliance and parental compromise; (4) differences in preschoolers' physical activity are influenced by parents' and grandparents' own access to and engagement in physical activity; (5) parents and grandparents express few disagreements about preschoolers' screen-time; (6) parents and grandparents rarely discuss preschoolers' physical activity. The findings suggest that parental and grandparental decision-making about feeding and exercise is informed by ideas of what constitutes familial balance and a balanced lifestyle for a preschool aged child, rather than by the child's weight status. Conclusions Parents and grandparents appear to engage in practices designed to preserve familial homeostasis, which may provide a compelling explanation for the persistent difficulties in implementing family-based childhood obesity interventions.

Influence of grandparents on the dietary intake of their 2–12‐year‐old grandchildren: A systematic review

“…A total of 483 studies were identified through the search strategy, with 83 full‐text articles retrieved, of which 16 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review (Figure ) …”

“…Studies were published between 2007 and 2016 in the USA (n = 6), China (n = 3), Greece (n = 2), Australia (n = 2), Canada (n = 2) and Japan (n = 1) . Studies included in the review included grandparents as the primary study population (n = 2), children as the primary study population (n = 5) or a combination of grandparents, parents and children (n = 9) . The studies therefore included a range of family structures, cultural groups and food availability.…”

“…Eli et al . identified that disagreements about feeding practices stem from parents’ and grandparents’ differing definitions of healthy feeding and reflect differences in perceived caretaking roles.…”

Caregiver feeding practices and weight status among African American adolescents: The Jackson Heart KIDS Pilot Study

“…The limited literature on grandparent feeding practices suggests that grandparents engage in more maladaptive feeding practices (Eli, Howell, Fisher, & Nowicka, 2016), though there is a positive association with time spent providing care and adaptive practices (Farrow, 2014). As with much of the research in this domain, studies have tended to focus on younger children.…”

Association between grandparent coresidence and weight change among first‐grade Japanese children

“…While grandparents in high‐income countries are generally better educated and healthier than grandparents in low‐income countries, generation gaps in child‐rearing practices still exist. Parents complain about grandparents for promoting snack consumption and being lax about screen time . Grandparent involvement in childcare during infancy is reported to increase the risk of obesity and BMI in preschool children .…”