Parenting styles are associated with overall child dietary quality within low-income and food-insecure households.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE\nTo examine the association between parenting styles and overall child dietary quality within households that are low-income and food-insecure.\n\n\nDESIGN\nChild dietary intake was measured via a 24 h dietary recall. Dietary quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005). Parenting styles were measured and scored using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire. Linear regressions were used to test main and interaction associations between HEI-2005 scores and parenting styles.\n\n\nSETTING\nNon-probability sample of low-income and food-insecure households in South Carolina, USA.\n\n\nPARTICIPANTS\nParent-child dyads (n 171). Parents were ≥18 years old and children were 9-15 years old.\n\n\nRESULTS\nWe found a significant interaction between authoritative and authoritarian parenting style scores. For those with a mean authoritarian score, each unit increase in authoritative score was associated with a higher HEI-2005 score (b = 3·36, P 0·05). Permissive parenting style scores were negatively associated with child dietary quality (b = -2·79, P < 0·05).\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nParenting styles should be considered an important variable that is associated with overall dietary quality in children living within low-income and food-insecure households.