Food parenting stress among caregivers receiving government food assistance: a study from the United States
Objective: Caregivers are expected to implement child feeding recommendations such as providing healthy meals and promoting family meals. However, these expectations may contribute to stress, particularly for families without food security. This study examined food parenting stress and its variation...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Preventive Medicine Reports |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335525002281 |
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| author | Faith Hardy Alison Tovar Emily G. Elenio Yarisbel Melo Herrera Michelle Perry Katherine W. Bauer Maya K. Vadiveloo |
| author_facet | Faith Hardy Alison Tovar Emily G. Elenio Yarisbel Melo Herrera Michelle Perry Katherine W. Bauer Maya K. Vadiveloo |
| author_sort | Faith Hardy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: Caregivers are expected to implement child feeding recommendations such as providing healthy meals and promoting family meals. However, these expectations may contribute to stress, particularly for families without food security. This study examined food parenting stress and its variation by household food security. Methods: Baseline data, from Rhode Island and Connecticut (May–September 2023) from an ongoing study assessing the impact of a state-wide incentive program for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants, were used. Primary caregivers completed an online survey, with socio-demographic questions, household food security, and a Likert-type-scale assessing feeding stressors. Associations between stressors and food security were analyzed using chi-square-tests and multivariable logistic regression. Results: Among 779 respondents, nearly half of respondents reported that making sure their child eats the right amount of food (46 %), the right kind of food (49 %), and healthy food outside the home (50 %) was ‘moderately’, ‘very’, or ‘extremely’ stressful. Households that did not experience food security had significantly higher odds of reporting stress across all feeding situations vs. those with food security, adjusting for covariates. Conclusions: Food parenting stress is common and heightened among those that are not food secure. Nutrition education should be paired with supports that address structural barriers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4bb9a8c4b88f441a8da4b9b587d604a5 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2211-3355 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Preventive Medicine Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-4bb9a8c4b88f441a8da4b9b587d604a52025-08-02T04:47:08ZengElsevierPreventive Medicine Reports2211-33552025-09-0157103189Food parenting stress among caregivers receiving government food assistance: a study from the United StatesFaith Hardy0Alison Tovar1Emily G. Elenio2Yarisbel Melo Herrera3Michelle Perry4Katherine W. Bauer5Maya K. Vadiveloo6Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 S. Main St., Providence, RI 02906, United States of AmericaDepartment of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 S. Main St., Providence, RI 02906, United States of America; Corresponding Author.Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 S. Main St., Providence, RI 02906, United States of AmericaFriedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, 150 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111., United States of AmericaDepartment of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 S. Main St., Providence, RI 02906, United States of AmericaDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, Michigan University, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, United States of AmericaDepartment of Nutrition, University of Rhode Island. 45 Upper College Rd. Kingston, RI 02881, United States of AmericaObjective: Caregivers are expected to implement child feeding recommendations such as providing healthy meals and promoting family meals. However, these expectations may contribute to stress, particularly for families without food security. This study examined food parenting stress and its variation by household food security. Methods: Baseline data, from Rhode Island and Connecticut (May–September 2023) from an ongoing study assessing the impact of a state-wide incentive program for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants, were used. Primary caregivers completed an online survey, with socio-demographic questions, household food security, and a Likert-type-scale assessing feeding stressors. Associations between stressors and food security were analyzed using chi-square-tests and multivariable logistic regression. Results: Among 779 respondents, nearly half of respondents reported that making sure their child eats the right amount of food (46 %), the right kind of food (49 %), and healthy food outside the home (50 %) was ‘moderately’, ‘very’, or ‘extremely’ stressful. Households that did not experience food security had significantly higher odds of reporting stress across all feeding situations vs. those with food security, adjusting for covariates. Conclusions: Food parenting stress is common and heightened among those that are not food secure. Nutrition education should be paired with supports that address structural barriers.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335525002281Food parenting stressSupplemental nutrition assistance program participantsChild dietFood securityNutrition education |
| spellingShingle | Faith Hardy Alison Tovar Emily G. Elenio Yarisbel Melo Herrera Michelle Perry Katherine W. Bauer Maya K. Vadiveloo Food parenting stress among caregivers receiving government food assistance: a study from the United States Preventive Medicine Reports Food parenting stress Supplemental nutrition assistance program participants Child diet Food security Nutrition education |
| title | Food parenting stress among caregivers receiving government food assistance: a study from the United States |
| title_full | Food parenting stress among caregivers receiving government food assistance: a study from the United States |
| title_fullStr | Food parenting stress among caregivers receiving government food assistance: a study from the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Food parenting stress among caregivers receiving government food assistance: a study from the United States |
| title_short | Food parenting stress among caregivers receiving government food assistance: a study from the United States |
| title_sort | food parenting stress among caregivers receiving government food assistance a study from the united states |
| topic | Food parenting stress Supplemental nutrition assistance program participants Child diet Food security Nutrition education |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335525002281 |
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