The Longitudinal Influence of Parent–Grandparent Coparenting Relationships on Preschoolers’ Eating Behaviors in Chinese Urban Families: The Mediating Roles of Caregivers’ Feeding Behaviors

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Background: The early development of children’s eating behaviors is a complex process shaped by dynamic interactions within the family system. While extensive research has focused on parental feeding practices as a primary predictor of children’s eating behaviors, the role of intergenerational coparenting dynamics (especially with involved grandparents) is less studied. This study aimed to examines how primary caregivers’ feeding behaviors mediate the relationship between parent–grandparent coparenting dynamics and children’s eating behaviors. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study among 343 stem families with preschool children. The cross-lagged analysis was applied to examine: the mechanism of parent–grandparent coparenting relationships on preschool children’s eating behaviors and the bidirectional relationship between feeding behaviors and eating behaviors. Results: Our results revealed that coparenting agreement significantly and negatively predicted satiety responsiveness through the mediating role of parental encouragement of healthy eating (β = −0.012, 95% CI [−0.022, −0.001]). Similarly, coparenting support had a significant negatively indirect effect on satiety responsiveness, also partially mediated by parental encouragement of healthy eating (β = −0.012, 95% CI [−0.023, −0.002]). The association between coparenting undermining and satiety responsiveness was mediated by parental encouragement healthy eating (β = −0.612, 95% CI [−0.796, −0.429]). Mutual predictive relationships were observed between preschool children’s satiety responsiveness and parental encouragement of healthy eating (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The study results highlighted the critical role of parent–grandparent coparenting relationships as indirect predictors of preschoolers’ eating behavior through mediator of parental feeding behaviors. Importantly, healthcare providers may be able to offer anticipatory guidance or relevant healthy eating resources to parents and grandparents, who should be recognized as important stakeholders in promoting healthy eating among children.

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