Associations between parental concern for adolescent weight and the home food environment and dietary intake.
OBJECTIVE
Examine associations between parental concern about adolescent weight and adolescent perceptions of their dietary intake, home food availability, family mealtime environment, and parents' feeding practices.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Adolescents, aged 12-15 years from 37 secondary schools in Victoria, Australia, and their parents completed surveys in 2004-2005.


METHODS
1,448 adolescent-parent pairs.


METHODS
Parental concern about adolescent weight; adolescent perceptions of their food intake and home food environment.


METHODS
Chi-square tests, exploratory factor analysis, independent t tests (P < .01).


RESULTS
Although 12% of parents perceived their adolescent as overweight, 27% were concerned about their adolescent's weight (under- or overweight). Adolescents of concerned parents reported lower intakes of energy-dense snacks and less home availability of these food items, and they perceived that their parents less often listened to and considered their food preferences when shopping and cooking, than did adolescents of unconcerned parents. Concerned parents were no more likely to provide fruits and vegetables in the home or a positive family mealtime environment than unconcerned parents, at least as reported by their adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
Parental concern about adolescent weight was associated with lower intakes of energy-dense snacks among adolescents, less home availability of these food items, and less supportive parental feeding practices. Parents should be encouraged to listen to and consider their adolescents' food preferences, and provide supportive family mealtime environments and healthful food in the home.
MacFarlane
Abbie
A
Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia. abbie.macfarlane@deakin.edu.au
Crawford
David
D
Worsley
Anthony
A
D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D012944:Social Support; D013851:Thinness / Q000523:psychology