Eating Competent Parents of 4th Grade Youth from a Predominantly Non-Hispanic White Sample Demonstrate More Healthful Eating Behaviors than Non-Eating Competent Parents

• Main Authors: Barbara Lohse, Melissa Pflugh Prescott, Leslie Cunningham-Sabo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-06-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: eating competence; parent feeding behavior; school-age youth; Hispanic; replication
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/7/1501

The purpose of this study was to determine if the associations between eating competence (EC) and eating behaviors that were found in a USA sample of predominantly Hispanic parents of 4th grade youth could be replicated in a USA sample of predominantly non-Hispanic white parents of 4th graders. Baseline responses from parents (<i>n</i> = 424; 94% white) of youth participating in a year-long educational intervention were collected using an online survey. Validated measures included the Satter Eating Competence Inventory (ecSI 2.0^TM), in-home fruit/vegetable (FV) availability, healthful eating behavior modeling, and FV self-efficacy/outcome expectancies (SE/OE). Data were analyzed with general linear modeling and cluster analyses. The findings replicated those from the primarily Hispanic sample. Of the 408 completing all ecSI 2.0^TM items, 86% were female, 65% had a 4-year degree or higher, and 53% were EC (ecSI 2.0^TM score &#8805; 32). Compared with non-EC parents, EC modeled more healthful eating, higher FV SE/OE, and more in-home FV availability. Behaviors clustered into those striving toward more healthful practices (<i>strivers</i>; <i>n</i> = 151) and those achieving them (<i>thrivers</i>; <i>n</i> = 255). <i>Striver</i> ecSI 2.0^TM scores were lower than those of <i>thrivers</i> (29.6 &#177; 7.8 vs. 33.7 &#177; 7.6; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). More EC parents demonstrated eating behaviors associated with childhood obesity prevention than non-EC parents, encouraging education that fosters parent EC, especially in tandem with youth nutrition education.