Parenting dimensions mediate the relationship between food insecurity and family health behaviors
Abstract
Purpose: Food insecurity and maladaptive health behaviors have significantly increased since the pandemic. Research suggests relationships between food insecurity and parenting dimensions and food insecurity and family health behaviors. We examined whether parenting dimensions mediate the association between food insecurity status and family health behavior.
Methods: Forty parents of children aged 2-12 living in the United States completed two waves of an online survey. The baseline survey assessed parenting dimensions and food insecurity prior to the pandemic. Both waves collected current food insecurity and family health behaviors. Pearson correlation were used to identify covariates between parenting dimensions and family health. We grouped parents into two mutually exclusive groups 1) never food insecure and 2) food insecure at one or more time point and conducted series of Repeated-Measures ANCOVAs with family health behavior as the dependent variable.
Results: Fifteen parents did not indicate food insecurity while 25 parents indicated food insecurity. Family health behavior did not vary within subjects but was significantly lower in the food insecure group. Parent nurturance and organization positively mediated the relationship between food security and family health behavior.
Conclusions: Our results provide additional evidence of the increases in food insecurity since the pandemic and the potential negative, long term impacts on health. We suggest targeted intervention among food insecure families to encourage nurturance and organization among parents, which may promote positive family health behaviors. Additional research is needed to identify which intervention would be most effective in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
About the Presenters
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland is an undergraduate student at Washington State University Vancouver. She is a member of the Developmental Approaches to Support Health (DASH) lab, which is run by Dr. Jane Lanigan, a member of the Prevention Science faculty. Her professional and volunteer experiences with youth have led to her academic interest in the physical and mental health of children and adolescents. She aims to go to graduate school at the completion of her current program of study in order to conduct research in the field of developmental psychology.
Anaderi Iniguez
Anaderi Iniguez is a first year PhD student in Prevention Science and a member of the Developmental Approaches to Support Health Lab led by Dr. Jane Lanigan. Anaderi’s current research interests in prevention include growing our knowledge of how to prevent negative health outcomes by preventing the development of maladaptive health behaviors relating to eating behavior and physical activity. She is currently part of a research team conducting longitudinal research assessing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health behaviors in adults. Her career goal is to promote the development of positive health behaviors including healthy eating, positive behavioral body image, and physical activity.
Alexandra Jackson
Alexandra Jackson is a doctoral candidate in Prevention Science and a member of the Developmental Approaches to Support Health Lab led by Dr. Jane Lanigan. Alexandra’s past experiences as a Registered Dietitian have led to her current research interests in prevention which include growing our knowledge of how body image, boredom, and social relationships relate to eating behavior and intake. She is currently involved in a longitudinal research project exploring the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health behaviors in adults. Her career goal is to support the development of positive relationships with food and the body.
Jane Lanigan
Jane Lanigan, PhD is a professor at Washington State University Vancouver in the Human Development Department and graduate faculty in Prevention Science. She established the Developmental Approaches to Support Health (DASH) laboratory to promote evidence-based practices that support health behavior practices. Her research program focuses on intrapersonal and interpersonal factors that influence child eating development within the family and early learning contexts and the application of prevention science concepts in healthy weight interventions.