Associations between perceived parent behaviors and middle school student fruit and vegetable consumption.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether (1) student perceptions of parent behaviors explain variations in fruit and vegetable consumption, (2) self-efficacy mediates this relationship, and (3) perceived home fruit and vegetable availability moderates this relationship. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Classrooms in 3 middle schools in 2 northeast Georgia counties. PARTICIPANTS: 366 middle school students. The response and participation rates were 59% and 56%, respectively. VARIABLES MEASURED: Perceived authoritative parenting, perceived parent control, perceived parent modeling, perceived parent support, self-efficacy, perceived fruit and vegetable availability, and fruit and vegetable consumption. ANALYSIS: Hierarchical multiple regression; P <.05. RESULTS: Perceived parent modeling, perceived parent support, self-efficacy, and perceived fruit and vegetable availability were significant predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption. The relationship between perceived parent support and fruit and vegetable consumption was mediated by self-efficacy. The relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and both perceived parent modeling and support was moderated by perceived fruit and vegetable availability. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Parents appear to moderately influence middle school student fruit and vegetable consumption. Educators might focus on improving home fruit and vegetable availability and student self-efficacy, as well as parent support and modeling. The level of availability might indicate where efforts should focus for enhancing parent behaviors.