Clustering of diet- and activity-related parenting practices: cross-sectional findings of the INPACT study

BACKGROUND: Various diet- and activity-related parenting practices are determinants of child dietary and activity behaviour, including home availability, parental modelling and parental policies. There is parenting practices cluster within the dietary domain and within the domain. This study explores whether diet- and activity-related parenting practices cluster across the dietary and activity domain. Also examined whether the clusters are related to child and parental background characteristics. Finally, to indicate the relevance of the clusters in influencing child dietary and activity behaviour, we examined whether parenting practices are related to these behaviours. METHODS: Data were 1480 parent--child dyads participating in the Dutch IVO Nutrition and Activity Child cohorT (INPACT). Parents of children aged 8--11 years questionnaires at home assessing their diet- and activity-related practices, child and parental background characteristics, and child activity behaviours. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to clusters of parenting practices. Backward regression analysis was used the relationship between child and parental background characteristics cluster scores, and partial correlations to examine associations between scores and child dietary and activity behaviours. RESULTS: PCA revealed clusters of parenting practices: 1) high visibility and accessibility of and unhealthy food, 2) diet- and activity-related rules, 3) low unhealthy food, 4) diet- and activity-related positive modelling, and 5) modelling on sports and fruit. Low parental education was associated unhealthy cluster 1, while high(er) education was associated with clusters 2, 3 and 5. Separate clusters were related to both child activity behaviour in the hypothesized directions: healthy clusters were positively related to obesity-reducing behaviours and negatively to obesity-inducing behaviours. CONCLUSION: Parenting practices cluster dietary and activity domain. Parental education can be seen as an broader parental context in which clusters of parenting practices Separate clusters are related to both child dietary and activity Interventions that focus on clusters of parenting practices to assist (especially low-educated parents) in changing their child's dietary and behaviour seems justified.