Parental eating attitudes and indicators of healthy eating in a longitudinal randomized dietary intervention trial (the STRIP study)

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effects of child-oriented dietary intervention on parental eating attitudes and dietary behaviour. Design: In the prospective, randomized Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children (the STRIP study), a cohort of Finnish families took part in a nutritional intervention trial focused on the quality of their children's fat intake since the age of 8 months. Health-related and hedonic eating attitudes of the parents were measured after 10 years of dietary intervention using a validated Health and Taste Attitude Scales (HTAS) questionnaire (n 660). Parents' eating behaviour was studied using a 1 d food record (n 491). Setting: Finland. Subjects: Mothers and fathers (n 660) of the STRIP children. Results: The parents of the intervention families had a higher level of interest in healthy eating compared with control parents. The interest in natural products or hedonic eating attitudes did not differ between the groups. The parents' general health interest was associated with low saturated fat intake, fruit and vegetable consumption, fibre intake and seeking pleasure in eating, but it was not associated with BMI. The intervention also improved the quality of dietary fat among parents with the lowest level of interest in healthy eating. Conclusions: Parents' general health interest was associated with regular dietary counselling as well as with healthier food choice behaviour. However, the dietary intervention that focused especially on the quality of the child's fat intake also enhanced specific changes in the family's fat consumption without a high level of interest in healthy eating.

Fat, sugar and water intakes among families from the IDEFICS intervention and control groups: first observations from I.Family

“…Although the IDEFICS study aimed at implementing the intervention on community, school and family levels, a majority of the intervention modules were situated at the school level (14,15). Other studies, such as the Finnish STRIP study where nutritional education was provided to the parents during the intervention, reported a better diet quality compared with the control group several years after the intervention in both parents (38) and children (39). However, lack of parental diet data at IDEFICS baseline and the adaptation of the FFQ from baseline to I.Family limited the possibility of longitudinal analyses of diet quality in the present study.…”

Using Individual, ApoE Genotype-Based Dietary and Physical Activity Advice to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle: Associations between Psychological, Behavioral and Clinical Factors

“…dietary fat quality) can occur without any attitudinal or psychological changes, but any long-term and permanent change may demand a change in attitude. Although several studies have suggested that health attitudes are closely linked to health behavior [6][7][8]10,27], controversial results have also been found [28]. The study of Lloyd et al 1993 [28], observed that participants, who consumed high-fat diets had a similar attitude to dietary change (to a low-fat and more healthful diet) compared with those consuming lowfat diets.…”

“…According to Witte's (2001) Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), health behavior change may happen, if the health threat is perceived as a danger, but not yet as a fear [5]. In addition, intentions to eat healthily and have better health-related attitudes have been shown to be good predictors of healthy food choices in diets [6][7][8][9][10]. Although the basic assumption is that attitudes and beliefs in some way guide, influence, direct, shape, and predict health behavior [11], it is still questionable how many of these attitudes and beliefs affect our responses to dietary recommendations [8].…”

Protocol for digital intervention for effective health promotion of small children—A cluster randomized trial

“…Early childhood is a meaningful period for building a strong basis for good health (Baker & Stabile, ; Landale, McHale, & Booth, ). Health behaviours during early childhood are associated with the current and future physical health of the child (Kim, Lee, & Lim, ; Koskinen et al., ; Talvia et al., ; Telama et al., ; Umer et al., ). Parents play a key role in promoting healthy behaviours in children (Carson, ; Hinkley, Jo Salmon, Okely, Hesketh, & Crawford, ; Hodges, Smith, Tidwell, & Berry, ; Mistry et al., ; Yee, Lwin, & Ho, ).…”

“…Parents offer an environment for small children where the interaction between parents as well as the interaction and attachment in the parent–child relationship are meaningful from the perspective of the psychosocial development of the child (Dezoti et al., ; Zeanah, Berlin, & Boris, ). Interventions directed at parents with small, preschool‐aged children have proven to be effective in promoting children's healthy behaviours (Ling, Robbins, Wen, & Zhang, ; Magnussen et al., ; Niinikoski et al., ; Talvia et al., ) and psychosocial development (Thanhäuser, Lemmer, de Girolamo, & Christiansen, ; Wright et al., ; Yap et al., ).…”