Associations Between Coparenting Quality, the Home Food Environment, and Child's Body Mass Index

Background: Although positive coparenting, or how parents relate during childrearing, is known to support children's socioemotional development, the role of coparenting in supporting children's healthy eating and growth is poorly understood. This study examined associations between coparenting quality, the home food environment, and young children's body mass index (BMI). Methods: Cross-sectional data were obtained from 290 mothers and their 3-year-old children who participated in the Sprout study. Mothers who indicated they had a coparent in their household completed surveys to assess coparenting quality, food parenting practices, family mealtime routines and structure, and home food availability. Mothers also reported the foods served at two typical meals, and a healthy meal index (HMI) score was calculated to assess the nutritional quality of meals. Children's height and weight were measured and used to calculate BMI z-scores (BMIz). Results: Mothers who reported more positive coparenting also reported providing children more guidance for healthy eating (β = 0.15, p < 0.001), less use of food to control children's emotions (β = -0.15, p < 0.01), less use of food as a reward (β = -0.27, p < 0.01), more structured mealtimes (β = 0.22, p < 0.001), and more household availability of fruits and vegetables (β = 0.11, p < 0.01). Mothers who reported greater coparent agreement on childrearing also had children with lower BMIz (β = -0.11, p = 0.03). Mothers who reported greater endorsement of their partner's childrearing competency had a higher mean HMI score (β = 1.82, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Among dual-parent, highly resourced families with young children, stronger coparenting practices were associated with several food-related parenting practices that support healthy eating and weight among young children.