Exploring profiles of fathers integrating food and physical activity parenting practices

Abstract Objective: This study aims to identify fathers’ profiles integrating food parenting practices (FPP) and physical activity parenting practices (PAPP). Design: We analysed cross-sectional data. The fathers completed the reduced FPP and PAPP item banks and socio-demographic and family dyna...

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Main Authors: John A Jimenez-Garcia, Louise C Mâsse, Robert L Newton, Salma M Musaad, Alicia Beltran, Teresia M O’Connor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-01-01
Series:Public Health Nutrition
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000278/type/journal_article
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author John A Jimenez-Garcia
Louise C Mâsse
Robert L Newton
Salma M Musaad
Alicia Beltran
Teresia M O’Connor
author_facet John A Jimenez-Garcia
Louise C Mâsse
Robert L Newton
Salma M Musaad
Alicia Beltran
Teresia M O’Connor
author_sort John A Jimenez-Garcia
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective: This study aims to identify fathers’ profiles integrating food parenting practices (FPP) and physical activity parenting practices (PAPP). Design: We analysed cross-sectional data. The fathers completed the reduced FPP and PAPP item banks and socio-demographic and family dynamics (co-parenting and household responsibility) questionnaires. We identified fathers’ profiles via latent profile analysis. We explored the influence of social determinants, child characteristics and family dynamics on fathers’ profiles using multinomial logistic regression. Setting: Online survey in the USA. Participants: Fathers of 5–11-year-old children. Results: We analysed data from 606 fathers (age = 38 ± 8·0; Hispanic = 37·5 %). Most fathers self-identified as White (57·9 %) or Black/African American (17·7 %), overweight (41·1 %) or obese (34·8 %); attended college (70 %); earned > $47 000 (62·7 %); worked 40 hrs/week (63·4 %) and were biological fathers (90·1 %). Most children (boys = 55·5 %) were 5–8 years old (65·2 %). We identified five fathers’ profiles combining FPP and PAPP: (1) Engaged Supporter Father (n 94 (15·5 %)); (2) Leveled Father (n 160 (26·4 %)); (3) Autonomy-Focused Father (n 117 (19·3 %)); (4) Uninvolved Father (n 113 (18·6 %)) and (5) Control-Focused Father (n 122 (20·1 %)). We observed significant associations with race, ethnicity, child characteristics, co-parenting and household responsibility but not with education level, annual income or employment status. We observed significant pairwise differences between profiles in co-parenting and household responsibility, with the Engaged Supporter Father presenting higher scores in both measures. Conclusions: Understanding how fathers’ FPP and PAPP interact can enhance assessments for a comprehensive understanding of fathers’ influences on children’s health. Recognising the characteristics and differences among fathers’ profiles may enable tailored interventions, potentially improving children’s health trajectories.
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spelling doaj-art-f86ef1fed4fc4a8994828bdba72cc0a72025-08-20T02:12:24ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272025-01-012810.1017/S1368980025000278Exploring profiles of fathers integrating food and physical activity parenting practicesJohn A Jimenez-Garcia0Louise C Mâsse1Robert L Newton2Salma M Musaad3Alicia Beltran4Teresia M O’Connor5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3231-8481USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USBC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaPopulation and Public Health, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USAUSDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USUSDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USUSDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, US Abstract Objective: This study aims to identify fathers’ profiles integrating food parenting practices (FPP) and physical activity parenting practices (PAPP). Design: We analysed cross-sectional data. The fathers completed the reduced FPP and PAPP item banks and socio-demographic and family dynamics (co-parenting and household responsibility) questionnaires. We identified fathers’ profiles via latent profile analysis. We explored the influence of social determinants, child characteristics and family dynamics on fathers’ profiles using multinomial logistic regression. Setting: Online survey in the USA. Participants: Fathers of 5–11-year-old children. Results: We analysed data from 606 fathers (age = 38 ± 8·0; Hispanic = 37·5 %). Most fathers self-identified as White (57·9 %) or Black/African American (17·7 %), overweight (41·1 %) or obese (34·8 %); attended college (70 %); earned > $47 000 (62·7 %); worked 40 hrs/week (63·4 %) and were biological fathers (90·1 %). Most children (boys = 55·5 %) were 5–8 years old (65·2 %). We identified five fathers’ profiles combining FPP and PAPP: (1) Engaged Supporter Father (n 94 (15·5 %)); (2) Leveled Father (n 160 (26·4 %)); (3) Autonomy-Focused Father (n 117 (19·3 %)); (4) Uninvolved Father (n 113 (18·6 %)) and (5) Control-Focused Father (n 122 (20·1 %)). We observed significant associations with race, ethnicity, child characteristics, co-parenting and household responsibility but not with education level, annual income or employment status. We observed significant pairwise differences between profiles in co-parenting and household responsibility, with the Engaged Supporter Father presenting higher scores in both measures. Conclusions: Understanding how fathers’ FPP and PAPP interact can enhance assessments for a comprehensive understanding of fathers’ influences on children’s health. Recognising the characteristics and differences among fathers’ profiles may enable tailored interventions, potentially improving children’s health trajectories. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000278/type/journal_articleFather–childPhysical activityNutritionParenting practicesLatent profile analysisSocial determinants of healthCo-parenting
spellingShingle John A Jimenez-Garcia
Louise C Mâsse
Robert L Newton
Salma M Musaad
Alicia Beltran
Teresia M O’Connor
Exploring profiles of fathers integrating food and physical activity parenting practices
Public Health Nutrition
Father–child
Physical activity
Nutrition
Parenting practices
Latent profile analysis
Social determinants of health
Co-parenting
title Exploring profiles of fathers integrating food and physical activity parenting practices
title_full Exploring profiles of fathers integrating food and physical activity parenting practices
title_fullStr Exploring profiles of fathers integrating food and physical activity parenting practices
title_full_unstemmed Exploring profiles of fathers integrating food and physical activity parenting practices
title_short Exploring profiles of fathers integrating food and physical activity parenting practices
title_sort exploring profiles of fathers integrating food and physical activity parenting practices
topic Father–child
Physical activity
Nutrition
Parenting practices
Latent profile analysis
Social determinants of health
Co-parenting
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000278/type/journal_article
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