Latino fathers’ feeding-related parenting strategies on children’s eating

Abstract

This study examined father and child socio-demographic characteristics in relation to fathers’ feeding-related parenting strategies and whether his parenting strategies were associated with children’s-reported fruit and vegetable (FV), weekly fast food, and daily sugar-sweetened beverage intake among 81 Latino fathers-children pairs. Fathers’ employment status, acculturation, number of children in the home, and child’s age and weight status were associated with the use of different parenting strategies. Additionally, more control was associated with less FV intake, but more reinforcement was associated with more FV intake by children. Fathers play a role in their children’s diet and should be considered in future interventions.

Fathers' food parenting: A scoping review of the literature from 1990 to 2019

“…A similar number of studies, however, reported no differences in the types and levels of food parenting practices used by mothers and fathers 66‐74 . When looking at the influence of fathers' food parenting on child outcomes, studies reported that fathers' use of controlling food parenting practices is linked with higher consumption of unhealthy foods or higher rates of overweight among children 29,63,75‐78 and their use of responsive food parenting practices, such as modeling healthy eating behaviors, is linked with positive diet and weight outcomes in children 76,78‐80 . Three studies reported no effects of fathers' food parenting on children's outcomes 81‐83 …”

A qualitative study conducted in the USA exploring Latino fathers’ beliefs, attitudes and practices related to their young children’s eating, physical activity and sedentary behaviours

“…The current study provides insights into the role of Latino fathers in promoting their children's eating, PA and SB within the family environment and contributes information that allows for a more complete picture of how Latino parents view eating and PA environments for their children. Given the central role of the family in the Latino culture, effective interventions targeting the promotion of healthy eating, PA and SBand ultimately the prevention of child obesity and related chronic diseasesshould take account of the role of fathers (13,17,(36)(37)(38)(39) .…”

“…None the less, these studies underscore father's influential role on children's eating (36)(37)(38)(39)(40) . This small body of research indicates the need for further research, but also suggests that Latino fathers be included in nutrition interventions designed to reduce and prevent child obesity (36)(37)(38)(39)(40) . Similarly, a growing research literature documents the influential role of fathers on children's PA and SB, but the majority of this research has focused on Caucasian, middle-income fathers (39,41) with limited research examining Latino fathers' beliefs, attitudes and practices related to young children's PA and SB (39,41) .…”

Communication With Family Child Care Providers and Feeding Preschool-Aged Children: Parental Perspectives

“…The sample size was relatively small, and while the study was intended to be inclusive of all parents and caregivers of preschool-aged children attending FCCHs, participants were primarily mothers. Fathers play an important role in feeding young children, 45,46 and given the small proportion of fathers in this study, it was difficult to develop themes related to differences in perspectives or child nutrition-related concerns between mothers and fathers. Targeting specifically fathers to participate in FGDs may allow for a much more robust qualitative analysis of differences between mothers and fathers as it relates to child nutrition and feeding at home and in child care.…”