The home food environment and associations with dietary intake among adolescents presenting for a lifestyle modification intervention

Abstract

Background: The home food environment may be an important target for addressing adolescent obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between aspects of the home food environment and the diets of adolescents who present for obesity treatment. Methods: Cross-sectional baseline data were collected from 167 overweight/obese adolescent-parent pairs participating in an e-health lifestyle modification intervention. Adolescent intake of specific foods (fruit and vegetables, total fat, sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts/treats, and snacking occasions) was assessed by three 24-h dietary recalls, while household factors were collected from adolescent and parent questionnaires. Structural Equation Modeling, controlling for relevant covariates, was used to examine the relationship between adolescent diet and the following household factors: parent modeling, parenting style, family meal practices, and home food/beverage availability. Results: Findings reveal that few characteristics of the home food environment were associated with adolescent dietary intake. Greater home availability of high-fat foods was moderately associated with adolescent snack intake (β = 0.27, p