Thesis
The effects of parent nutrition knowledge and confidence in child nutrition on preschoolers' preferences for and consumption of healthful foods
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2017
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100850
Abstract
Obesity rates in the United States are continuing to rise and are at all-time highs. Young children are a vulnerable population reliant on others for nutrition and who emulate the behavior patterns of parents and caregivers. The obesogenic environment is becoming a societal norm and U.S. children living in this context are at higher risk of obesity and other comorbid metabolic diseases that are largely preventable. Childhood obesity prevention research has identified key protective factors, including preference for and consumption of a wide variety of healthful foods. Parents and the home feeding environment play a crucial role in children developing healthy eating patterns that can offer life-long protective benefits against obesity. Possible explanations for this phenomenon is parent level of nutrition knowledge and confidence in their knowledge of child nutrition. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between parent nutrition knowledge and confidence in child nutrition and young children's preferences for and consumption of healthful foods. The possible effects of demographic variables (parent income and parent level of education attained) on child consumption and preference of the study foods were also explored. Parents with young children, 3-6 years of age (n=87), were recruited from early learning centers at a university and at a community college campus. Children participated in semistructured interviews to evaluate preference ratings for the four study foods (tomatoes, bell peppers, quinoa, and lentils). A group snack consumption was also conducted to measure quantities of study foods individual children consumed. Parents completed a survey that assessed general nutrition knowledge and confidence in knowledge of child nutrition. Child preference was correlated with child consumption and both outcome variables were significantly correlated with parent education and parent income. Only parent education was found to be a significant predictor of child preference for or consumption of healthful foods. Despite limited significant findings in this study, it did highlight the usefulness of examining the mechanisms involved in the development of parent nutrition knowledge and the translation of knowledge to child eating behaviors. There is a need for sensitive measures to understand nuances underlying this complex relationship and direct future research.
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Details
- Title
- The effects of parent nutrition knowledge and confidence in child nutrition on preschoolers' preferences for and consumption of healthful foods
- Creators
- Valerie Ann Jarvensivu
- Contributors
- Jane D. Lanigan (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Human Development, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900524881101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis