Abstract
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.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Journal | Maternal and Child Health Journal |
| DOIs | |
| State | Accepted/In press - Jan 1 2019 |
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Keywords
- Dietary intake
- Parental role modeling
- Pediatric obesity
- Physical activity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Epidemiology
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Cite this
Parents as Role Models : Associations Between Parent and Young Children’s Weight, Dietary Intake, and Physical Activity in a Minority Sample. / Coto, Jennifer; Pulgaron, Elizabeth; Graziano, Paulo A.; Bagner, Daniel M.; Villa, Manuela; Malik, Jamil A.; Delamater, Alan M.
In: Maternal and Child Health Journal, 01.01.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
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
C2 - 30656547
AN - SCOPUS:85060237922
JO - Maternal and Child Health Journal
JF - Maternal and Child Health Journal
SN - 1092-7875
ER -