title: Parent-child mealtime interactions in racially/ethnically diverse families with preschool-age children.
abstract: Family meals may improve diet and weight outcomes in children; however, results from nationally representative samples suggest that these relationships vary by race/ethnicity. Observing parent-child mealtime interactions may lend insight to why racial/ethnic differences exist. In this pilot study, a multi-ethnic sample of low-income families (n = 30) with a preschool-age child was videotaped during a dinner in their home. A global coding scheme was used to assess the following: 'Action' (behaviors that divert attention from eating), 'Behavior Control' (behaviors intended to modify another person's behavior), and 'Communication' (i.e., meal-oriented, interpersonal, and critical). All families spent a significant amount of time in 'action' oriented behaviors that diverted their attention from eating. We also observed racial/ethnic differences in communication (i.e. critical) and behavior patterns (i.e. behavior control). This study demonstrated that this approach for observing parent-child mealtime interactions in a naturalistic setting among a diverse study sample was feasible; however, future studies should address how these patterns relate to dietary intake and weight status.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Education and Career Development Program, Institute of Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1747 West Roosevelt Road, MC275, Room 558, Chicago, IL 60608, USA. Electronic address: akong@uic.edu.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Blake L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Barbara H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Fiese
authors.forename: Linda A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Schiffer
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Odoms-Young
authors.forename: Yoonsang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Marian L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fitzgibbon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals / Q000208:ethnology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011203:Poverty / Q000208:ethnology; D014743:Videotape Recording; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: African–American; Eating behavior; Family; Hispanic; Obesity; Preschool