Work Conditions and the Food Choice Coping Strategies of Employed Parents

Abstract 

Objective

How work conditions relate to parents' food choice coping strategies.

Design

Pilot telephone survey.

Setting

City in the northeastern United States (US).

Participants

Black, white, and Hispanic employed mothers (25) and fathers (25) randomly recruited from low-/moderate-income zip codes; 78% of those reached and eligible participated.

Main Outcome Measures

Sociodemographic characteristics; work conditions (hours, shift, job schedule, security, satisfaction, food access); food choice coping strategies (22 behavioral items for managing food in response to work and family demands (ie, food prepared at/away from home, missing meals, individualizing meals, speeding up, planning).

Analysis

Two-tailed chi-square and Fisher exact tests (P ≤ .05, unless noted).

Results

Half or more of respondents often/sometimes used 12 of 22 food choice coping strategies. Long hours and nonstandard hours and schedules were positively associated among fathers with take-out meals, missed family meals, prepared entrees, and eating while working; and among mothers with restaurant meals, missed breakfast, and prepared entrees. Job security, satisfaction, and food access were also associated with gender-specific strategies.

Conclusions and Implications

Structural work conditions among parents such as job hours, schedule, satisfaction, and food access are associated with food choice coping strategies with importance for dietary quality. Findings have implications for worksite interventions but need examination in a larger sample.

Key Words: employment, parents, family, dietary behavior, low income, coping