Autonomous Motivation and Fruit/Vegetable Intake in Parent–Adolescent Dyads

Abstract

Introduction Autonomous motivation (motivation to engage in a behavior because of personal choice, interest, or value) is often associated with health behaviors. The present study contributes to research on motivation and eating behaviors by examining: (1) how autonomous motivation is correlated within parent–adolescent dyads; and (2) whether parent- and adolescent-reported autonomous motivation predicts the parent–adolescent correlation in fruit and vegetable (FV) intake frequency. Methods Data were drawn from the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) Study, a cross-sectional U.S. survey of parent–adolescent dyads led by the National Cancer Institute and fielded between April and October 2014. In 2016, data were analyzed from dyads who had responses on a six-item self-report measure of daily frequency of FV consumption and a two-item self-report measure of autonomous motivation for consuming FVs. Results Parents' and adolescents' reports of autonomous motivation and FV intake frequency were positively correlated. Both parents' and adolescents' autonomous motivation predicted higher levels of their own FV intake frequency and that of their dyad partner (p-values ≤0.001). These effects of autonomous motivation explained 22.6% of the parent–adolescent correlation in FV intake frequency. Actor effects (one's motivation predicting their own FV intake frequency) were stronger than partner effects (one's motivation predicting their partner's FV intake frequency). Conclusions Parent–adolescent similarity in autonomous motivation for healthy eating may contribute to similarity in eating behaviors. Future research should further examine how individual-level health behavior correlates influence health behaviors within dyads.

Understanding vocational students' motivation for dietary and physical activity behaviours

“…This explains why autonomous motivation is important in healthy diet and physical activity behaviour in vocational students. Results of other studies follow the same pattern; in early and mid-adolescents, autonomous motivation was found to be associated with increased fruit intake and increased physical activity (27)(28)(29)(30) and in vocational students autonomous motivation was found to be associated with MVPA (28). Controlled motivation apparently is not enough to maintain the healthy lifestyle behaviours investigated in this study.…”

“…Previous studies on type of motivation and health behaviour among adults show that high autonomous motivation is a predictor for long-term weight control, exercise adherence and smoking cessation (24)(25)(26). In early and mid-adolescence, high autonomous motivation is known to be related to increased fruit and vegetable intake (27). Furthermore, in Finnish vocational students aged 17-19, a higher level of autonomous motivation was related to increased physical activity (28).…”

Parenting styles moderate how parent and adolescent beliefs shape each other's eating and physical activity: Dyadic evidence from a cross-sectional, U.S. National Survey

“…Our research, as well as that of others who have adopted a dyadic approach, indicates that adolescents can influence their parents, just as parents influence their adolescents (Coesens, De Mol, De Bourdeaudhuij & Buysse, 2010;Dwyer et al, 2017;Guidetti et al, 2016Joyal-Desmarais et al, 2018.…”

The FLASHE Study: Survey Development, Dyadic Perspectives, and Participant Characteristics

“…Dyadic FLASHE data can account for homogeneity (e.g., similarity) and interdependence (e.g., the degree to which dyad members influence each other) 11 between parents and adolescents. An example dyadic analysis with FLASHE data is presented in this issue, 41 and data users interested in dyadic analysis can also find syntax and tutorials on the FLASHE webpage. 38 Appendix Tables 1 and 2 identify which constructs in each FLASHE survey are dyadic.…”