Style of meal service and feeding practices among Mexican American fathers and mothers

An analysis of video-recorded children's evening mealtime at home

Bibliographic Data

ID11356374
AuthorsCarlos Penilla (0000-0002-2212-5432, University of California, San Francisco, corresponding author), Jeanne M Tschann (0009-0001-6035-0331, University of California, San Francisco), Lauri A Pasch (0009-0006-9725-5246, University of California, San Francisco), Elena Flores (0000-0001-9881-0025, University of San Francisco), Julianna Deardorff (0000-0002-4708-5289, Berkeley Public Health Division), Suzanna M Martinez (0000-0001-7864-1391, University of California, San Francisco), Nancy F Butte (0000-0001-8892-5195, Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine), Louise C Greenspan (Kaiser Permanente)
Year2022
Volume169
Pages105851
Publication date2022-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAppetite (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0195-6663 • E-ISSN: 1095-8304
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.appet.2021.105851
PMID34883137
OpenAlexW4200084010
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited58

The aim of this study was to examine video-recorded observations of evening family mealtime at home among Mexican American children to help elucidate style of meal service, fathers' and mothers' feeding practices and child's eating behavior. Consistent with guidelines for coding behaviors, we analyzed observational data of evening mealtimes of 71 Mexican American children aged eight to 10 years. Regarding style of meal service, in almost all cases (96%), parents plated the child's food, with more available on the table or counter in 40% of the observations. Mothers almost always served the child (94%). Regarding parental feeding practices, parents used positive involvement in meals (80%), pressure to eat (42%) and restriction of food (9%). Using food as a reward to control behavior was never used by either parent. The majority (75%) of children requested or negotiated to eat less food, or only eat certain items. In Mexican American families, both mothers and fathers play a role in family mealtimes and both use positive involvement in child's meals, and to a lesser extent pressure to eat, with their children aged eight to 10 years. To help reduce the obesity epidemic, intervention strategies are needed, which integrate the family, a plating style of meal and parental feeding practices that promote healthy eating in the home. To reduce obesity among Mexican American children, interventions that focus on parental positive involvement in child's meal and maintenance of home cooked meals could have a positive impact on the entire family

Developmental psychology · Evening · Meal · Obesity · Observational study · Psychological intervention · Snacking · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Medicine · Nursing · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology · Gerontology

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