Health Behavior and Weight Changes Among Ethnic and Racial Minority Preschoolers and Their Parents: Associations Across 1 Year.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether parent health behavior changes and feeding practices were associated with child changes in body mass index z-score and related health behaviors over the course of 1 year. METHODS: Anthropometric data from 590 child-parent dyads of ethnic/racial minority groups were collected at baseline, 14 weeks (postintervention), and 1-year follow-up. Additionally, parent screen time and feeding practices and child dietary consumption, diet quality, physical activity, and screen time were collected. RESULTS: Random effects growth models revealed that changes in child screen time moved in tandem with parent screen time from baseline to 14-week postintervention and from postintervention to 1-year follow-up. Greater parental monitoring predicted greater reduction in child calorie consumption at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies should include innovative ways to explicitly involve parents in prevention efforts.