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Women tend to have the greatest responsibility for and influence on the home food environment. Understanding theoretical concepts as they pertain to mothers' food-related behaviours could inform the development of interventions that enhance mothers' ability to create healthy family food environments that support optimal child development and help attenuate obesity rates. Likert scales assessed Social Cognitive Theory concepts [i.e. self-efficacy, self-regulation (sets goals, self-reward, self-monitoring, environmental structuring), outcome expectations] and coping of 201 mothers in the context food-related activities. ANOVA determined whether diet and BMI differed among mothers scoring in the highest, middle, and lowest tertiles on the Likert scales. For self-efficacy, coping, sets goals, and outcome expectations scales, lowest tertile mothers had significantly higher BMIs than highest tertile mothers. The lowest tertile for self-efficacy, self-reward, and self-monitoring consumed significantly less fibre, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and fruit and vegetables than upper tertiles. On the self-efficacy scale, the lowest tertile consumed significantly more calories, fat, and cholesterol than higher tertiles. Environmental structuring scale findings indicate users of television during dinner had significantly lower intakes of fibre, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and fruits and vegetables than those almost never using TV during dinner. Stepwise regression revealed self-monitoring, environmental structuring, self-reward, and outcome expectations were significant positive predictors of self-efficacy. Self-monitoring was a significant positive predictor of outcome expectations. Associations between theoretical concepts, mothers' dietary intakes, and BMIs point to the need to incorporate components that build self-efficacy, self-regulation, outcome expectations, and coping skills into health promotion interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Household food supplies of families with at least one child 12 years or younger (n =100) were inventoried in order to describe its nutrient content and compare food supplies of families with and without overweight individuals (i.e., healthy vs. overweight mothers; healthy vs. overweight fathers; healthy vs. overweight child[ren]). Nutrient adequacy ratios (NAR) for carbohydrate, dietary fiber, calcium, iron, total fat, and saturated fat were approximately one indicating amounts available per 2000 calories approximately equaled the Daily Value. NARs for protein, sugar, vitamin A, vitamin C, and sodium exceeded one and cholesterol NAR was less than one. Households were similar in number of household members, days until they planned to grocery shop again, and total days of meals and snacks to be served from household food supplies until the next grocery shopping trip. Frozen vegetables contributed significantly greater amounts of calories, carbohydrates, fat, and protein and meat supplied significantly more fat and protein in households with overweight fathers than in households with healthy weight fathers. In households with an overweight child, grains supplied significantly more protein and carbohydrate than in comparison households. Encouraging healthful changes to the home food supply may result in improvements in dietary intake and overall weight status. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses a kitchen checkup tool that consumers could use to assess their home kitchens and to increase food safety awareness in the U.S. It notes that the Home Kitchen Check-Up educational tool has been adapted from foodservice facility inspection techniques typically used in restaurants and other food establishments. It also mentions that the instrument has been reviewed by experts in nutrition, food service, and food microbiology, a licensed sanitarian, and a registered environmental health specialist for accuracy, completeness, and appropriateness for home kitchens.