Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Brief summary of minutes of annual meeting:

The 2022-2023 W4003 annual meeting was held 04/27/2023 to 04/28/2023 in-person for six participants at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT and virtually via Zoom online conferencing for seven participants.

Attendees included:

Anderson, Alex (fianko@uga.edu), University of Georgia

Banna, Jinan (jcbanna@hawaii.edu), University of Hawaii @ Manoa

Gunther, Carolyn (Gunther.22@osu.edu), Ohio State University

Hopkins, Laura (lhopkins@bw.edu), Baldwin Wallace University

Jones, Blake (blake.jones@byu.edu), Brigham Young University

Lora, Karina (Klora@email.gwu.edu), George Washington University

Monroe-Lord, Lillie (lmonroelord@udc.edu), University of the District of Columbia

Pratt, Keeley (pratt@osu.edu), Ohio State University

Reicks, Marla (mreicks@umn.edu), University of Minnesota

Richards, Rickelle (Rickelle_richards@byu.edu), Brigham Young University

Shearrer, Grace (gshearre@uwyo.edu), University of Wyoming

Topham, Glade (gtopham@ksu.edu), Kansas State University

Wong, Siew Sun (Siewsun.wong@oregonstate.edu), Oregon State University

2023-2024 Chair (Laura Hopkins), 2023-2024 Chair-Elect (Grace Shearrer), 2023-2024 Secretary (Blake Jones), Past Chair (Marla Reicks)

1. Membership Directory

Our Membership Directory had been updated on our Google Drive to include active members with updated contact information during the past project year.

2. Bylaws

Bylaws were updated on our Google Drive based on review and discussion during the past project year.

3. Project Administrator Update

Dr. Brett Hess, Executive Director of the Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors business operations provided an update on NIFA funding for research initiatives and facilities, leadership changes, AFRI program priorities and impact reporting. He also provided information regarding the new project proposal process with a due date of January 15, 2024.

4. Completion of Objective 1: Publications to report on work completed

Lead authors reported on papers under review or in preparation that address Objective 1: Examine associations between parenting practices and adolescent iEO eating behaviors. A qualitative report on changes in independent eating occasion (iEOs) parenting practices during the COVID-19 pandemic was accepted for publication by the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. A quantitative paper on associations among parenting practices and adolescent iEO dietary intake has been accepted for publication by the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Additional manuscripts based on Objective 1 are in preparation based on the development of a Master data file and codebook:

• Anderson et al. Demographic factors influencing frequency and intake during adolescent independent eating occasions
• Lora et al. Parent gender does not mediate relationships between adolescent food intake during independent eating occasions and food parenting practices. For Public Health Nutrition
• Jones et al. Anxiety, sleep, and inhibition control and food parenting practices influencing adolescent independent eating occasions.
• Topham et al. Relationships between general parenting and food parenting practices that influence adolescent independent eating occasions

5. Work on Objective 2: Develop digital communications for parents and adolescents that promote parenting practices supporting healthy food choices during adolescent iEOs

During the past year, a work group has been meeting to complete an intervention mapping process. Based on our previous interview and survey data and the broader literature, the process led us to focus our intervention on improving the availability of healthy foods (fruits and vegetables – FV) during adolescent iEOs. A focus on availability parenting practices at the level of both parent and adolescent is expected to increase adolescent iEO FV intakes leading to improved diet quality and weight status. Next steps include the identification of proximal program objectives (increased frequency of FV intake and improved adolescent diet quality), alignment with the socioecological framework, study design and timeline for developing and testing digital communication components. We will continue the intervention mapping process during the next project year. During the mapping process, we are also planning to review existing digital communication resources. During the meeting, two project team members described digital communication resources they had developed including a web-based meal/snack planning calendar for 5-8 year-old children and parents and a family-based cooking course for preschool children and caregivers. In addition, the group decided to conduct a systematic review of existing mobile app resources that address meal planning, shopping/transportation, cooking and food consumption. A draft review protocol was developed based on similar reviews reported in the literature. The protocol is based on work group assignments made to 1) further refine and test the search protocol/procedures, 2) develop and test training protocols for those involved in the review process, 3) conduct the search/review, and 4) prepare a manuscript to report the results. Dr. David Wingate, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Brigham Young University met with the group to describe ways that artificial intelligence deep learning models (e.g., Chat GPT) could be used to assist in the mobile app review process.

6. Grant funding

Members decided to complete the intervention mapping process, and identify and test digital communication components, such as mobile apps, to provide preliminary data in preparation for the development of possible grant proposals. In the meantime, we identified potential funding for a pilot study to test digital communications with families in the next project year.

7. W-5003 Multistate proposal development

Members developed a set of objectives for the next proposal based on a realistic timeline for completing W-4003 Objectives 2-4 during the next project year. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed back the timeline for conducting the survey needed to complete W-4003 Objective 1, which informed the work to complete Objective 2. Writing team members were assigned sections of the new proposal to complete (May to December 2023).

8. Leadership

Members nominated Laura Hopkins (Chair), Grace Shearrer (Chair-Elect), and Blake Jones (Secretary) to serve in leadership positions for 2023-2024 term. Marla Reicks will serve as Past Chair. We discussed holding the next annual meeting in April 2022 in-person and virtually to work on project objectives and manuscripts, and proposal development for extramural funding to support our work.

9. Annual meeting dates and locations for 2024

Members agreed to express preferences via a poll, followed by planning for the annual meeting based on preferred location and dates.

Accomplishments for 2022-2023:

Background:

Current literature shows that the home food environment, including food parenting practices, influence and shape the dietary habits of adolescents (Vaughn et al., 2016; Yee et al., 2017; Zeigler et al., 2021). Most studies has focused on dietary habits involving meals with family members under the supervision of adult caregivers. Less is known about how caregivers influence adolescent dietary intake during independent eating occasions (iEOs) when adult caregivers are not present. Several studies have identified associations between eating alone among adolescents, intake of high energy density foods including snacks, and overweight/obesity (Reicks et al., 2019; Shirasawa et al. 2018). Our group used pictorial and interview data from 51 low-income, multiethnic adolescents and parents to describe iEOs as primarily snacks (65%) characterized by fruit, sweets and dairy product consumption based on preferences and availability (Banna et al., 2020). Parent interview results indicated that setting expectations/rules and managing availability were the most common food parenting practices used to support healthy adolescent iEO intake (Gunther et al., 2019). Based on interviews we conducted with parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, about half reported greater adolescent iEO frequency and changes in foods available during iEOs, but most parents reported little change in parenting practices used to influence adolescent iEO intake (Gunther et al., in press). Our survey study identified associations between parenting practices and adolescent healthy and unhealthy iEO dietary intake among a sample of low-income, multiethnic parent/adolescent dyads (n = 622) (Reicks et al., in press). Structural (monitoring, indulgence, expectations) and autonomy support parenting practices were positively associated with both healthy and unhealthy iEO food intake by adolescents. Results indicate that interventions to improve adolescent iEO intake could promote positive practices associated with healthy food consumption such as FV intake.

References

Banna J, Richards R, Jones B, et al. Describing independent eating occasions among low-income adolescents. Int J Env Res Public Health. 2020;17(3):981. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17030981.

Gunther C, Reicks M, Banna J, et al. Food parenting practices that influence early adolescents’ food choices during independent eating occasions. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2019;51(8):993-1002. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2019.05.597

Gunther C, Richards R, Banna J, et al. Adolescent independent eating occasions, dietary intake, and parenting practices during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study of parents and adolescents from low-income households. J Nutr Educ Behav. In press 5-1-23

Reicks M, Davey C, Anderson AK, et al. Frequency of eating alone is associated with adolescent dietary intake, perceived food-related parenting practices and weight status: Cross-sectional FLASHE Study Results. Public Health Nutr. 2019;22(9):1555-1566. doi: 10.1017/S1368980019000107.

Reicks M, Lora K, Jin, Y, et al. Associations among independent eating occasion-specific parenting practices and adolescent dietary intake during these occasions. J Acad Nutr Diet, in press 5-10-23

Shirasawa T, Ochiai H, Yoshimoto T, et al. Effects of eating dinner alone on overweight in Japanese adolescents: A cross-sectional survey. BMC Pediatr. 2018;18:36. doi:10.1186/s12887-018-1041-y

Vaughn AE, Ward DS, Fisher JO, et al. Fundamental constructs in food parenting practices: a content map to guide future research. Nutr Rev. 2016;74(2):98-117. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuv061

Yee AZH, Lwin MO, Ho SS. The influence of parental practices on child promotive and preventive food consumption behaviors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017;14(1):47.

Ziegler AM, Kasprzak CM, Mansouri TH, et al. An ecological perspective of food choice and eating autonomy among adolescents. Front Psychol. 2021;12:654139.

Zeinstra GG, Koelen MA, Kok FJ, et al. Parental child-feeding strategies in relation to Dutch children’s fruit and vegetable intake. Public Health Nutr. 2010;13(6):787-796.

Project Objectives:

1. Examine the association between key parenting practices and positive eating behaviors during iEOs among low-income, multi-ethnic early adolescents.
2. Develop digital communications for parents and/or early adolescents such as mobile apps, virtual parent coaching/supervision, virtual cooking experiences, and online planning tools that promote parenting practices that support healthy food choices during iEOs among early adolescents (11-14 years).
3. Implement and evaluate a pilot intervention for parents and early adolescents (11-14 years) to promote positive parenting practices during independent eating occasions and to improve early adolescent dietary intake during these occasions based on digital communications developed in Objective 2.
4. Prepare a grant proposal to revise and implement a full-scale intervention and disseminate findings to health professionals.

Instructions for the report: Please indicate significant evidence of linkages both internal to the project/committee and to external peer groups, stakeholders, clientele, and other multistate activities. The report should also reflect on the items that stakeholders want to know, or want to see. The committee should describe plans for the coming year in no more than one or two short paragraphs.

Short-term Outcomes:

Individual interviews with parents and adolescents regarding food parenting practices during COVID-19:

Over the past year, we wrote and submitted a manuscript for publication to report findings regarding the analysis of interview data with low-income, multi-ethnic adolescents and parents about how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced food-related parenting practices around adolescent iEOs. Overall, results from parents suggested that adolescent iEO frequency increased during COVID-19 with the potential for increased intake of unhealthy snacks, yet the parenting practices used to influence iEOs remained stable. Families experienced having more time and family meals together. Some families experienced changes in their food environment, which negatively affected eating habits. The manuscript has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

Survey data from parents and adolescents regarding food parenting practices and adolescent iEO intake:

1) Over the past year, we also completed survey data analysis and reporting regarding data from 622 low-income, multi-ethnic adolescent/parent dyads across the US. Adolescents and parents reported frequency of parenting practices and adolescents reported food and beverage intake during iEOs. Structural and autonomy support parenting practices were positively associated with both healthy and unhealthy adolescent iEO food and beverage intakes. We submitted a research brief to the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to report findings, which has been accepted for publication.

2) We conducted regression analysis to examine the influence of parent and adolescent sociodemographic factors on adolescent iEO food intake. Findings indicated that adolescent gender, age, ethnicity, mode of school attendance, and weight status were associated with specific adolescent iEO food and beverage intakes indicating that interventions for families could be tailored based on selected sociodemographic characteristics. A manuscript is currently under preparation for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.

3) Based on other research suggesting that food parenting practices in general may be affected by parent or child gender, additional analyses were completed to examine relationships between parent and child gender and adolescent iEO food and beverage intakes. A draft manuscript is under preparation for submission to the journal Public Health Nutrition.

Intervention mapping:

Over the past year, a work group has been engaged in applying an intervention mapping protocol to identify program and behavioral performance objectives and personal determinants based on our survey results. We have determined that future digital communications will target the food parenting practice of managing availability to improve adolescent iEO fruit and vegetable intakes. The mapping protocol will be used over the next year to further identify proximal objectives and methods for intervention development and testing of digital communications.

Outputs: Outputs delivered by our research project include survey results from 622 adolescent/parent dyads regarding food parenting practices and adolescent iEO food and beverage intakes, and publications for nutrition and public health professionals centered on food parenting practices during COVID-19 and overall that influence dietary intake during adolescent iEOs.

Activities: Activities included interview and survey data analysis and reporting regarding food parenting practices and adolescent iEO dietary intake. A lead author and writing team members have published a paper to report on how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the home food environment and adolescent dietary intake during iEOs. Lead authors and writing team members have conducted survey data analyses from parent/adolescent dyads regarding associations between food parenting practices and healthy and unhealthy adolescent iEO food intakes overall (accepted for publication) and by parent and adolescent gender, and between parent/adolescent sociodemographic characteristics and adolescent iEO food and beverage intakes.

An intervention mapping protocol was used to identify behavioral target objectives and mediators of behavior change for parents and adolescents. Work is planned to further apply the mapping protocol to identify specific proximal program objectives and their use in the intervention development and testing process.

During the annual meeting, we developed initial plans and work group assignments to conduct a systematic review to identify and assess mobile apps related meal planning, shopping/transportation, meal prep/cooking, and food consumption that address desired parent and adolescent behaviors that lead to healthy adolescent iEO food choices. We identified three work groups that would 1) refine a preliminary review protocol, refine search and review criteria, modify an existing mobile app rating scale to evaluate app quality and content, and develop a Qualtrics data entry form, 2) develop and test a training protocol for the project team and student reviewers, and 3) conduct the app search/review using the tested protocol. We plan to write a manuscript reporting the procedure and results. Upon identification of several mobile apps that are applicable to our project objectives, we will determine the feasibility of existing commercially available apps for supporting the food parenting practice of managing availability of foods that lead to healthy adolescent iEO food choices among multi-ethnic, low-income, families with adolescents with obesity. If possible, we may explore the ability to modify a promising app as needed and further test app utility, acceptability and engagement.

Milestones (2019-2024):

To develop and test a questionnaire with acceptable psychometric properties by fall 2021 (Completed spring 2020).

To implement the main survey by fall 2021 (Completed December 2021, based on a delay in implementation because of the COVID-19 pandemic).

To analyze survey data; evaluate results; determine parenting practices exhibiting most impact on early adolescents’ iEO intakes and behaviors, and develop manuscripts by spring 2022 (Data were analyzed and results reported in a paper in press 5-10-2023).

To plan and develop digital communications intervention components based survey data such as parent and adolescent apps that serve as an organizing framework for virtual parent coaching/supervising, preparing snacks, and planning snacks by fall 2023 (Intervention mapping protocol underway 2022-2023 with targeted completion date fall 2023).

To design, implement and evaluate a pilot intervention based on the digital communications developed by fall 2023 (Review of existing mobile apps underway with an expected completion date of summer 2024 prior to selecting several apps for testing. This milestone will likely be completed as part of a continuation proposal (W-5003) beginning Oct 2024).

To report results via manuscripts, develop draft grant proposals to implement the intervention among a broad range of participants by fall 2023 (This milestone will likely be completed as part of a continuation proposal (W-5003) beginning Oct 2024).

Publications: Peer reviewed manuscripts (in press)

Gunther C, Banna J, Jones BL, Park C, Reicks M, Richards R, Schier H, Topham G, Wong SS, Anderson AK, Ballejos M, Hopkins L, Lora KR, Monroe-Lord L. Adolescent independent eating occasions (iEOs), dietary intake, and parenting practices during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study of parents and adolescents from low-income households. J Nutr Educ Behav, in press 5-1-23.

Reicks M, Lora K, Jin, Y, Monroe-Lord L, Topham G, Jones B, Kojo Anderson A, Gunther C, Hopkins L, Richards R, Wong SS. Associations among independent eating occasion-specific parenting practices and adolescent dietary intake during these occasions. J Acad Nutr Diet, in press 5-10-23.

Presentations

Reicks M, Anderson AK, Ballejos M, Banna J, Jones BL, Gunther C, Hopkins L, Lora K, Monroe-Lord L, Richards R, Topham G, Wong SS. Adolescent independent eating occasions and dietary intake during independent eating occasions by personal and household characteristics. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2022;54(7S):S29.