Children's food choices are highly dependent on patterns of parenting practices and food availability at home in families at high risk for type 2 diabetes in Europe: Cross-sectional results from the Feel4Diabetes study

Abstract

Background: Food parenting practices, behaviours and food availability at home are associated with children's food choices; however, these associations have been mainly studied for each parenting practice separately and focused mostly on healthy populations. The aim of the study was to identify patterns of parenting practices (including data regarding food availability at home, food and physical activity-related behaviours and rewards) and to investigate their cross-sectional associations with children's food choices in families at high risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: Data of parents and children (n = 2278), from the Feel4Diabetes study conducted in six European countries, were collected using validated questionnaires. The data analysed included children's food choices, food availability at home and food and physical activity-related parenting practices. Four patterns of parenting practices were identified using principal component analysis, and associations between those components and children's food choices were assessed using adjusted, individual linear regressions.

Results: Parenting patterns focusing on unhealthy habits, such as allowing unhealthy snacks and unlimited screen time, providing higher availability of unhealthy foods at home, rewarding with snacks and screen time, were positively associated with children's unhealthy food choices (consumption of savoury/sweet snacks, fizzy drinks, etc.). The parenting patterns providing fruit/vegetables at home, consuming fruit, and being physically active with the child were positively associated with children's healthier food choices (consumption of fruit, vegetables, whole grain cereals, etc.).

Conclusions: Public health initiatives should focus on high-risk families for T2D, assisting them to adopt appropriate parenting practices and behaviours to promote healthier food choices for children.

Keywords: Feel4Diabetes; children's food choices; food availability; food parenting practices; parenting patterns; type 2 diabetes.