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Mealtime Television Viewing and Dietary Quality in Low-Income African American and Caucasian Mother–Toddler Dyads

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Abstract

To examine maternal demographic characteristics and depressive symptoms as predictors of TV viewing during mealtimes, and to investigate how mealtime TV viewing predicts mothers’ and toddlers’ food consumption. A prospective, cross-sectional survey design was employed with 199 African American and 200 Caucasian, low-income, mother–toddler dyads enrolled in eight Early Head Start programs in a Midwestern state. Mothers completed the Toddler–Parent Mealtime Behavior Questionnaire to assess toddler mealtime behavior. Data were analyzed using a three-step multiple regression: (a) step one was to determine what characteristics predicted family TV viewing during mealtime; (b) step two was to determine whether TV viewing during mealtime predicted maternal food consumption, and (c) step three was to determine whether TV viewing during mealtime predicted toddler food consumption. Direct and indirect effects of TV watching were explored via path models. Maternal race, education, and depressive symptoms predicted 8% of the variance in TV viewing during mealtime (P ≤ 0.001). African American mothers and mothers who had fewer years of schooling and exhibited more depressive symptoms tended to watch more TV during mealtime. More TV viewing during mealtime predicted mothers’ intake of ‘more’ unhealthy foods. Mothers’ food consumption was the single best predictor of toddlers’ food consumption, while TV viewing during mealtime had an indirect effect through mothers’ TV viewing. TV viewing practices affect mothers’ food consumption and mealtime behaviors; this, in turn, impacts toddlers’ food consumption. Practical interventions are needed to positively influence the nutritional habits of lower-income mothers. Reducing mothers’ “unhealthy” food consumption while watching TV may offer one effective strategy.

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Acknowledgements

This project was funded through the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation of the Administration of Children and Families (OPRE/ACF), Head Start-University Partnership Grant No 90-YF0046. This manuscript was funded, in part, through the Michigan State University College of Nursing Summer Scholar Funds. The authors thank the participants and staff at the eight Early Head Start programs in Michigan, the study data collectors, and student volunteers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Nursing, Michigan State University, B-515-G West Fee Hall, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Mildred A. Horodynski

  2. College of Nursing, W149 Owen Graduate Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Manfred Stommel

  3. Department of Family and Child Ecology, Michigan State University, 3 Human Ecology Building, East Lansing, MI, 49924, USA

    Holly E. Brophy-Herb

  4. Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, 334C G.M. Trout FSHN Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Lorraine Weatherspoon

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  1. Mildred A. Horodynski
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  2. Manfred Stommel
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  3. Holly E. Brophy-Herb
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  4. Lorraine Weatherspoon
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Correspondence to Mildred A. Horodynski.

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Horodynski, M.A., Stommel, M., Brophy-Herb, H.E. et al. Mealtime Television Viewing and Dietary Quality in Low-Income African American and Caucasian Mother–Toddler Dyads. Matern Child Health J 14, 548–556 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-009-0501-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-009-0501-2

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