Parents as Role Models

TY - JOUR

T1 - Parents as Role Models

T2 - Associations Between Parent and Young Children’s Weight, Dietary Intake, and Physical Activity in a Minority Sample

AU - Coto, Jennifer

AU - Pulgaron, Elizabeth

AU - Graziano, Paulo A.

AU - Bagner, Daniel M.

AU - Villa, Manuela

AU - Malik, Jamil A.

AU - Delamater, Alan M

PY - 2019/1/1

Y1 - 2019/1/1

N2 - Objective We examined the association between parent and child fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake, physical activity (PA), and body mass index in an ethnic minority and low-income sample. Methods The study sample consisted of 86 children ages 5–7 years (80% Hispanic) and their parents. Three parent health variables (healthy weight, recommended F&V servings per day, and recommended weekly PA) were used to create a healthy role model index. Associations between the parent index and corresponding child health behaviors and weight were examined. Results Most parents (53.5%) were not healthy role models, 30.2% were limited healthy role models, 16.3% were good role models, and none were excellent role models; most parents and children did not meet guidelines for healthy weight, F&V intake, and PA. Parents who scored higher on the index were more likely to have children with higher levels of F&V. Furthermore, parents who had a healthy weight were 3.7 times more likely to have a child who had a healthy weight. Additionally, parents who were consuming the recommended servings of F&V per day were 10 times more likely to have children who were also consuming the recommended servings of F&V per day compared to parents who were not consuming the recommended servings of F&V per day. Conclusions for Practice These findings suggest the important role of parental modeling of healthy behaviors to their young children among minority/low-income families. Parents may serve as an important mechanism of change for children’s health status by increasing their own healthy lifestyle behaviors.

AB - Objective We examined the association between parent and child fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake, physical activity (PA), and body mass index in an ethnic minority and low-income sample. Methods The study sample consisted of 86 children ages 5–7 years (80% Hispanic) and their parents. Three parent health variables (healthy weight, recommended F&V servings per day, and recommended weekly PA) were used to create a healthy role model index. Associations between the parent index and corresponding child health behaviors and weight were examined. Results Most parents (53.5%) were not healthy role models, 30.2% were limited healthy role models, 16.3% were good role models, and none were excellent role models; most parents and children did not meet guidelines for healthy weight, F&V intake, and PA. Parents who scored higher on the index were more likely to have children with higher levels of F&V. Furthermore, parents who had a healthy weight were 3.7 times more likely to have a child who had a healthy weight. Additionally, parents who were consuming the recommended servings of F&V per day were 10 times more likely to have children who were also consuming the recommended servings of F&V per day compared to parents who were not consuming the recommended servings of F&V per day. Conclusions for Practice These findings suggest the important role of parental modeling of healthy behaviors to their young children among minority/low-income families. Parents may serve as an important mechanism of change for children’s health status by increasing their own healthy lifestyle behaviors.

KW - Dietary intake

KW - Parental role modeling

KW - Pediatric obesity

KW - Physical activity

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85060237922&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85060237922&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s10995-018-02722-z

DO - 10.1007/s10995-018-02722-z

M3 - Article

JO - Maternal and Child Health Journal

JF - Maternal and Child Health Journal

SN - 1092-7875

ER -