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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #295680
Title: Dimensions of vegetable parenting practices among preschoolers

Author
item BARANOWSKI, TOM - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item CHEN, TZU- - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item O'CONNOR, TERESIA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item HUGHES, SHERYL - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item BELTRAN, ALICIA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item FRANKEL, LESLIE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item DIEP, CASSANDRA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item BARANOWSKI, JANICE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: Appetite
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/20/2013
Publication Date: 5/29/2013
Citation: Baranowski, T., Chen, T.A., O'Connor, T., Hughes, S., Beltran, A., Frankel, L., Diep, C., Baranowski, J.C. 2013. Dimensions of vegetable parenting practices among preschoolers. Appetite. 69:89-93.

Interpretive Summary: Parents are likely strong influencers on the dietary intake of preschool children. Most measures of vegetable parenting practices assess mostly a subset of parenting practices that are considered to be effective. This study analyzed the factor structure of both effective and ineffective parenting practices, and is the first study to test three theory predicted dimensions: responsiveness, control, and structure. Effective and ineffective practices being fit by only separate structures suggests that parents incorporate some of each in dealing with their children. Research is needed on how well these food parenting practices scales predict child vegetable intake.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the factor structure of 31 effective and ineffective vegetable parenting practices used by parents of preschool children based on three theoretically proposed factors: responsiveness, control, and structure. The methods employed included both corrected item-total correlations and confirmatory factor analysis. Acceptable fit was obtained only when effective and ineffective parenting practices were analyzed separately. Among effective items the model included one second order factor (effectiveness) and the three proposed first order factors. The same structure was revealed among ineffective items, but required correlated paths be specified among items. A theoretically specified three factor structure was obtained among 31 vegetable parenting practice items, but likely to be effective and ineffective items had to be analyzed separately. Research is needed on how these parenting practice factors predict child vegetable intake.