Perceived parenting style and practices and the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by adolescents

TLDR

The study examined whether adolescents’ perceived parenting practices and style (strictness and involvement) influence their consumption of sugar‑sweetened beverages. In a cross‑sectional survey of 383 secondary‑school students, researchers collected data on beverage intake, attitudes, social influences, self‑efficacy, habit strength, parenting practices and general parenting style, and analyzed the relationships using multiple linear regression. Restrictive parenting practices were associated with lower beverage consumption, with about 55 % of the effect mediated by attitudes, self‑efficacy and parental modeling, a direct effect remaining, and the association stronger when parents were perceived as moderately strict and highly involved, highlighting the importance of parent‑tailored interventions.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether perceived parenting practices and parenting style dimensions (strictness and involvement) are associated with adolescents' consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. In this cross-sectional study, secondary school students (n = 383, mean age 13.5 years) completed a self-administered questionnaire on their consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, attitude, social influences, self-efficacy, habit strength, food-related parenting practices and the general parenting style dimensions of 'strictness' and 'involvement'. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analyses. More restrictive parenting practices were associated with lower consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (beta = -38.0 ml; 95% CI = -48.1, -28.0). This association was highly mediated ( approximately 55%) by attitude, self-efficacy and modeling from parents. Nevertheless, a significant direct effect remained (beta = -17.1 ml; 95% CI = -27.2, -6.90). Interactions between perceived parenting style and parenting practices showed that the association between parenting practices and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was stronger among adolescents who perceived their parents as being moderately strict and highly involved. Parents influence their children's sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and should therefore be involved in interventions aimed at changing dietary behaviors. Interventions aimed at the promotion of healthy parenting practices will improve when they are tailored to the general parenting style of the participants.