Codevelopment of Healthy and Unhealthy Dietary Behaviors: A Dyadic Examination of Parenting Practices and Adolescent Characteristics

ObjectiveTo identify the pathways through which external, parental, and adolescent factors influence adolescents’ motivation to adopt healthy dietary behaviors.MethodsA total of 28 ethnically socioeconomically diverse (25% White) families were interviewed in adolescents (mean age = 12.7 years; 50% girls) parents 43.3 68% mothers) separately. Data first analyzed thematically, family summaries, supplemented with diagrams, then used processes influenced behaviors.ResultsThe analyses identified 3 main motivational (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic amotivation), wherein variability inconsistencies observed across within pathways. The unique combination external factors, parenting profiles, as well willingness be socialized by members, differentiated these from each other.Conclusions ImplicationsHealth interventions need target overall approaches that use socialize their make food choices instead targeting specific practices.