Associations were examined between sociodemographic characteristics of a US online survey sample of caregiver/adolescent dyads (n = 533) and food intake during independent eating occasions. Caregivers reported sociodemographic characteristics for dyads. Adolescents reported daily intake frequency of sugar-sweetened beverages, junk foods, sugary foods, fast food, and fruits and vegetables during independent eating occasions. Logistic regression analysis showed increased odds of sugar-sweetened beverage intake by White vs. Asian counterparts, decreased odds of sugary food intake by age (12 vs. 11-year-olds) and increased odds of sugary food intake by weight status (overweight/obesity vs. normal weight). Understanding these relationships may inform future intervention development.

OBJECTIVE:Examine how experiencing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic influenced adolescent independent eating occasions (iEOs) and iEO-related parenting practices from the perspective of parents and adolescents METHODS: Cross-sectional remote interviews were conducted for this basic qualitative research study. Participants were a purposive sample of multiracial/ethnic adolescents aged 11-14 years and their parents from households with low income (n = 12 dyads) representing 9 US states. The main outcome measures were iEOs and iEO-related parenting practices. Data were analyzed using directed content analysis. RESULTS:About half of the parents indicated that their adolescents had more iEOs during the COVID-19 pandemic and that there were changes in the types of foods consumed during iEOs. In contrast, most adolescents indicated their iEOs had not changed remarkably in frequency or foods consumed since the onset of the pandemic. Most parents reported no change in how they taught their adolescents about healthy food, the rules for foods/beverages permitted during iEOs, or how they monitored what their adolescents ate during iEOs; adolescent reports were in general agreement. Most parents indicated that family members were home together more often during the pandemic, which increased cooking frequency. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS:The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents' iEOs varied, and the parenting practices used to influence iEOs remained stable during the pandemic. Families experienced having more time together and cooking at home more often.

BACKGROUND:Frequency of independent eating occasions (iEOs) has been linked to intake of unhealthy foods and overweight or obesity among adolescents. Parenting practices involving modeling healthy food intake and making healthy foods available have been associated with healthy food intake among adolescents; however, little is known about these associations during iEOs. OBJECTIVE:To determine whether parenting practices involving structure (monitoring, availability, modeling, and expectations), lack of structure (indulgence), and autonomy support reported by adolescents or parents were associated with adolescent iEO intake of junk foods, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), sugary foods, and fruit and vegetables. DESIGN:Cross-sectional study measuring parenting practices and adolescent iEO food choices via an online survey and adapted food frequency questionnaire. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING:Parent/adolescent dyads (n = 622) completed surveys (November-December 2021) using a national Qualtrics panel database. Adolescents were 11 to 14 years of age and had iEOs at least weekly. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Primary measures included parent- and adolescent-reported frequency of food parenting practices and adolescent-reported iEO intake of junk foods, sugary foods, SSBs, and fruits and vegetables. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED:Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine associations between parenting practices and iEO intake of foods/beverages, adjusting for adolescent's age, sex, race and ethnicity, iEO frequency, parent's education and marital status, and household food security status. Bonferroni multiple comparison corrections were conducted. RESULTS:More than half of parents were female (66%) and 35 to 64 years of age (58%). Adolescents/parents identified as White/Caucasian (44%/42%), Black/African American (28%/27%), Asian (21%/23%), and Hispanic ethnicity (42%/42%). Positive associations were observed among adolescent-reported and parent-reported autonomy support, monitoring, indulgence and expectations parenting practices, and adolescent-reported daily iEO intake frequencies of junk foods, sugary foods, and fruits and vegetables (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:Structural and autonomy support parenting practices were positively associated with both healthy and unhealthy iEO food intake by adolescents. Interventions to improve adolescent iEO intake could promote positive practices associated with healthy food consumption.

Parents play an important role in developing the eating behaviors of their children by adopting specific parenting practices. As the prevalence of obesity is high amongst African American adolescents, investigations into associations of specific parenting practices and adolescents’ eating behaviors are essential. In this exploratory study, 14 African American parent–adolescent dyads were interviewed to characterize the influence of eight different parenting practices on the consumption of three main food categories (dairy, fruits and vegetables, and unhealthy snacks). The results revealed that authoritarian parenting practices were correlated with a higher BMI percentile in adolescents, whereas modeling and monitoring are correlated with a higher parent BMI. In addition, reasoning, monitoring, modeling, and authoritative parenting practices were associated with less unhealthy snack consumption among adolescents. Reasoning and monitoring were the only parenting practices associated with higher fruit and vegetable consumption. Finally, a significant correlation was found between eating fruits and vegetables and unhealthy snacks and the location of eating. In conclusion, different parenting practices and environmental factors may impact BMI and food consumption of African American dyads. The results of this study can be used to guide improvement in, and/or development of, nutritional education interventions considering the cultural differences of racial minorities.

Obesity is more prevalent among racial minority children in the United States, as compared to White children. Parenting practices can impact the development of children’s eating behaviors and habits. In this study, we investigated the relationships among racial/ethnic backgrounds, parenting practices and styles, and eating behaviors in adolescents. Fifty-one parent–adolescent dyads were interviewed to characterize parenting practices and styles, as well as the consumption of dairy, fruits and vegetables, and unhealthy snacks. Height and weight were measured to calculate parent BMI and adolescent BMI-for-age percentiles. Three parenting practice categories—modeling, authoritative, and authoritarian—were found to be related to race/ethnicity. A higher score in authoritarian parenting practices was related to higher BMI percentiles among African American adolescents, whereas a higher score in monitoring practices was related to lower BMI percentiles among non-Hispanic White adolescents. Modeling, reasoning, and monitoring led to higher consumption of fruits and vegetables among adolescents; however, the consumption of unhealthy snacks was higher with rule-setting and lower with reasoning and authoritative practices. Finally, an analysis of the relationships between environmental factors and snack intake showed that adolescents consumed significantly more unhealthy snacks when performing other activities while eating. In conclusion, the findings from this study suggest that families’ racial heritages are related to their parenting practices, BMI percentiles, and their adolescents’ food consumption and eating behaviors. The results of this study can be used to develop and improve adolescent nutrition education and interventions with consideration of their racial/ethnic backgrounds.

Weight-related behaviors and perception during adolescence can influence life-long weight management habits. Among the general population, difference in behaviors and beliefs have been observed by race/ethnicity and sex, but research is limited in athletes. PURPOSE: Determine if weight-related behaviors and perceptions differ by sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES) in adolescent soccer players. METHODS: Adolescent soccer players (n=493, 56% Female, 45% Latino) completed a health history survey that included questions related to weight-related behaviors and perception. Body Mass Index (BMI, kg/m2) was determined from measured height and weight. RESULTS: Self-reported behaviors (trying to gain/lose weight or not change weight) differed by sex and by race/ethnicity (p<0.05). Males were 10.2 times more likely to desire weight gain than females. Latinos were more likely to desire to lose weight vs. Whites. Weight-status perception varied by sex (p=0.03); more males self-reporting being "underweight" than other categories. No race/ethnicity differences were observed (p>0.05). Weight loss strategies differed by race/ethnicity (p<0.0001) with Latinos reporting using exercise and drinking more water for weight loss. Adolescents desiring weight loss (38.7%) were 2.4 times more likely to skip breakfast or lunch. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should focus on understanding factors related to race/ethnicity and sex that influence weight-related attitudes/behaviors.

The use of Extended Reality (XR) (i.e. Virtual and Augmented Reality) for nutrition education and behavior change has not been comprehensively reviewed. This paper presents findings from a scoping review of current published research. Articles (n = 92) were extracted from PubMed and Scopus using a structured search strategy and selection approach. Pertinent study information was extracted using a standardized data collection form. Each article was independently reviewed and coded by two members of the research team, who then met to resolve any coding discrepancies. There is an increasing trend in publication in this area, mostly regarding Virtual Reality. Most studies used developmental testing in a lab setting, employed descriptive or observational methods, and focused on momentary behavior change like food selection rather than education. The growth and diversity of XR studies suggest the potential of this approach. There is a need and opportunity for more XR technology focused on children and other foundational theoretical determinants of behavior change to be addressed within nutrition education. Our findings suggest that XR technology is a burgeoning approach in the field of nutrition, but important gaps remain, including inadequate methodological rigor, community application, and assessment of the impact on dietary behaviors.

The purpose of this formative, cross-sectional study was to describe independent eating occasions (iEOs) among a convenience sample of low-income early adolescents (10–13 years, n = 46) in 10 U.S. states, including environmental context, foods selected and reasons for selection, and parental rules about foods consumed. Participants took pictures of all foods consumed over 24 h and participated in semi-structured interviews to describe the context of each eating occasion using the pictures as a guide. Responses based on a total of 304 eating occasions were coded to classify foods based on United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) MyPlate food groups and to characterize parental rules and reasons for food selection. Average age was 10.9 ± 1.1 years and 60% were female. Approximately 58% of eating occasions were classified as iEOs with approximately 65% as snacks. Most iEOs took place at home. Foods frequently consumed during iEOs were from the sweets, total fruit, dairy, and whole fruit food categories. Primary parental rules for iEOs focused on avoiding certain foods and not eating too much. Early adolescents selected foods for convenience, taste preferences, and availability. Foods selected during iEOs were based on parent, household and early adolescent factors, which could be addressed to influence overall diet quality.

Calcutta launched Mobile Teaching Kitchens as a nutritional education tool in two Indian slums in February 2018 to improve awareness of diet diversity and disease prevention by using locally sourced foods and cooking skills.Local volunteers, trained in healthy cooking, transferred core nutritional principals by cooking sustainable, nutritional and affordable meals.They followed a "See one, Do one and Teach one" model to transfer knowledge to their peers where markers of malnutrition were assessed before and after this programme.Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of using mobile teaching kitchens to provide nutrition education through cooking, teaching healthy eating to a disadvantaged community in the urban slums of India.Study Design, Settings, Participants: Longitudinal evaluation of mothers and children in RG Kar Canal Slum and Chetla Slum in Kolkata, India from 2018 to 2019.Measurable Outcome/Analysis: Anthropometric and clinical signs of the children were assessed in person, alongside assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practice of the mothers through questionnaires.Results: Preliminary measurements post-analysis from both slums (n = 14) showed that overall anthropometric measures of health in the mothers remained static.There was a mean change of 2.75cm growth in height in children.Other markers of nutritional status such as weight and mid-upper arm circumference did not significantly change.Statistically significant changes were seen in self-perceived nutritional knowledge about dietary protein sources, where the median response increased from 2 to 3 out of 5 (5 indicating excellent understanding) (P < .05).In the Chetla Slum, 57% of mothers showed 2 or more signs of micronutrient deficiency pre-intervention, with all other mothers having one sign.While post-intervention, no mother had any sign of micronutrient deficiency showing improvement in nutritional status.Conclusion: Overall improvement in clinical status and nutritional knowledge was seen using Mobile Teaching Kitchens as an educational tool.Further evaluation of this particular teaching method is warranted due to the small sample size and heterogeneous results.

AbstractObjectiveTo examine relationships between frequency of adolescents eating alone (dependent variable) and diet, weight status and perceived food-related parenting practices (independent variables).DesignAnalyses of publicly available, cross-sectional, web-based survey data from adolescents.SettingOnline consumer opinion panel.SubjectsA US nationwide sample of adolescents (12–17 years) completed Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) Study surveys to report demographic and family meal characteristics, weight, dietary intake, home food availability and perceptions of parenting practices. Parents provided information about demographic characteristics. Logistic regression analyses were used to test for associations between variables.ResultsAbout 20 % of adolescents reported often eating alone (n 343) v. not often eating alone (n 1309). Adjusted odds of adolescents often eating alone were significantly higher for non-Hispanic Black compared with non-Hispanic White adolescents (OR=1·7) and for overweight or obese compared with normal- or underweight adolescents (OR=1·6). Adjusted odds of adolescents eating alone were significantly lower for those who reported that fruits and vegetables were often/always available in the home (OR=0·65), for those who perceived that parents had expectations about fruit and vegetable intake (OR=0·71) and for those who agreed with parental authority to make rules about intake of junk food/sugary drinks (OR=0·71). Junk food and sugary drink daily intake frequency was positively associated with often eating alone.ConclusionsOften eating alone was related to being overweight/obese, having less healthy dietary intake and perceptions of less supportive food-related parenting practices.

OBJECTIVE:To identify practices that parents use to influence early adolescents' food choices during independent eating occasions (iEOs) from parent and child perspectives. DESIGN:In-depth interviews. PARTICIPANTS:Low-income parents (n = 49) and early adolescent children (aged 10-13 years; n = 44) from 10 US states and the District of Columbia. PHENOMENON OF INTEREST:Parent and child perspectives on parenting practices that influence food choices during iEOs. ANALYSIS:Audio-recorded interviews transcribed verbatim, NVivo coding, and directed content analysis. RESULTS:Parents reported setting rules and expectations and managing availability or accessibility as the most common practices used to influence iEOs. Other practices included teaching, pressuring to eat, monitoring, and modeling. Children reported that their parents had rules about what they could or could not eat during iEOs and that they used specific strategies (eg, call or text) to monitor their iEOs. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS:Additional studies are needed to confirm findings from this exploratory study. Future cross-sectional and longitudinal studies could determine whether and to what extent food parenting practices identified in the current study are associated with healthy dietary intake during iEOs, as well as potential racial and ethnic differences.

In July 2018, the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) launched the Digital Technology in Nutrition Education and Behavior Change (DigiTech) Division. 1 White AA The next 50 years: setting the course for SNEB and JNEB. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2018; 50: 651-653 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (2) Google Scholar Sharing SNEB's mission and vision with the other 11 divisions, the DigiTech Division purposefully aligns its goals and values to SNEB's. We aim to strengthen the promotion of effective nutrition education and healthy behavior through research, policy, and practice that include digital technology.

OBJECTIVE:To develop and test parent and early adolescent questionnaires to assess food parenting practices that influence early adolescent food consumption during independent eating occasions (iEOs).METHODS:Cross-sectional online questionnaires were completed by 206 and 62 low-income parent/early adolescent (11-14 years) dyads at Time 1 and 2, respectively, recruited via a Qualtrics (Provo, UT) US national panel database. Principal component analyses, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability checks were performed.RESULTS:Six parallel components were identified for parents and early adolescents with acceptable internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Scales included autonomy support, monitoring, availability, indulgence, expectations, and modeling. All except indulgence were positively correlated with importance of helping early adolescents make healthy choices during iEOs.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS:Additional research is needed to test the questionnaires' validity regarding relationships between parenting practices and early adolescent consumption during iEOs. Findings could inform development of interventions to improve consumption during these occasions.

Calcium intake during early adolescence falls short of requirements for maximum bone accretion. Parents and the home food environment potentially influence children’s calcium intakes. This study aimed to quantify parental psychosocial factors (PSF) predicting calcium intakes of Asian, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white (NHW) early adolescent children from a parental perspective.