• Gretchen J R Buchanan, Allan D Tate, Katie A Loth, Amanda C Trofholz, and Jerica M Berge.
• From the Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN (GJRB); Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA (ADT); Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN (KAL, JMB). bucha245@umn.edu.
• J Am Board Fam Med. 2021 Nov 1; 34 (6): 1163-1173.

IntroductionBiopsychosocial approaches to health care are critical to addressing childhood obesity. This study aimed to examine how multiple indicators of the home environment related to child weight-related outcomes. We hypothesized that families with home environments of higher chaos and stress, and lower quality parent-child interactions, would have children with a higher body mass index (BMI), less healthy dietary intake, and less healthy eating behaviors.MethodsData were drawn from the cross-sectional Phase I of the Family Matters study. Participants were 150 racially/ethnically diverse families with a child between 5 to 7 (mean, 6.4) years old. We used a latent profile analysis approach. A 4-class solution fit the data well, and we used predicted class posterior probabilities to assign families to classes. We then regressed the results onto the distal outcomes of child BMI, healthy dietary intake, and healthy eating behaviors.ResultsFamilies were classified as Collaborative-Chill (n = 38), Busy Bees (n = 37), Engaged (n = 61), and Inconsistent-Distant (n = 14). Collaborative-Chill was used as the reference class. Inconsistent-Distant families had children with higher BMI (P < .001) that were more food responsive (P < .001). Busy Bees families had children who were more food responsive (P = .04) and more satiety responsive (P = .02). Engaged families had children who were marginally more food responsive (P = .06).ConclusionHousehold chaos, parent stress, and parent-child interactions are important components of the home environment implicated in children's weight-related outcomes. Health care providers should consider these indicators with child patients who struggle with obesity.© Copyright 2021 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

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