Associations between parent and child latent eating profiles and the role of parental feeding practices

This follow-up study by Pickard et al. (2024) builds upon previous research using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to examine the eating behavior profiles of children aged 3-6 years. Four different eating characteristics in youngsters were found in the previous study: avoidant, cheerful, enthusiastic, and usual eating. In this study, parents of these children (N = 785) were asked to self-report their eating behaviors, and LPA was applied to identify the latent eating profiles of the parents. The LPA revealed four distinct eating profiles in parents: typical eating (41.4%), avid eating (37.3%), emotional eating (15.7%), and avoidant eating (5.6%). A multiple mediation analysis was then conducted to explore both the direct and indirect associations between the parents’ eating profiles and their children’s eating profile memberships. Specifically, parental feeding practices (such as emotional eating, providing balanced food, and fostering a healthy food environment) were examined as mediators between the parents and the child’s eating profiles. The analysis revealed that parents’ eating profiles were directly associated with the likelihood of their children having similar eating profiles, with parents in the ‘avid eating’ and ‘avoidant eating’ categories predicting the same profiles in their children. Furthermore, feeding practices, such as using food to regulate emotions, providing balanced meals, and promoting a healthy food environment, were found to mediate these associations. These findings suggest that parents’ eating behaviors and practices significantly influence their children’s eating habits. This research highlights the importance of considering both parent and child eating profiles when designing interventions for healthy eating behaviors. The findings highlight the necessity of specialized programs targeting parents’ and kids’ eating habits. Additionally, the study opens up the possibility for future longitudinal research to examine whether a healthy home food environment could prevent the intergenerational transmission of less favorable eating behaviors. [NPID: Eating behavior profiles, parent feeding practices, avid eating]

Year: 2024

Reference: Pickard, A., Farrow, C., Haycraft, E., Herle, M., Edwards, K., Llewellyn, C., Croker, H., & Blissett, J. (2024). Associations between parent and child latent eating profiles and the role of parental feeding practices. Appetite, 201, 107589.