Children’s healthy and unhealthy food intake related to parental fear of the COVID-19, family communication patterns, and parental controlling feeding practices

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 changed the daily lives of families, including their food environments. We tested a conceptual model of potential influences on children’s dietary intake under these conditions. 306 (51% fathers) parents with children ages 5- 12 were recruited for an online study, where they completed questionnaires to measure fear of COVID-19, family communication patterns, parental controlling feeding practices, and child’s healthy and unhealthy food intake. Structural equation modeling was used, including a multi-group analysis to compare mothers and fathers. Parental fear of COVID-19 was positively related to communication patterns, which were positively associated with parental controlling feeding practices. Communication patterns were also linked to child unhealthy food intake, but only for mothers. General family communication patterns play an important role in children’s dietary intake. Therefore, it may be useful to help parents adopt general positive parenting approaches to influence their children’s healthy development.