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Studies of family food practices almost exclusively focus on mothers. To explore how fathers may affect the family food environment, a sociologist conducted 109 interviews with mothers, adolescents (ages 12–19 years), and fathers from 44 middle- and upper–middle-class one- and two-parent families from the San Francisco Bay area. Key findings:
In 41 families, family members reported that fathers' dietary behaviors were less healthy than mothers', with mothers overall more interested in selecting healthy food options for themselves and other family members. Fathers concurred.
Adolescents (and their mothers) perceived their fathers as being less skilled in cooking and as relying on quickly prepared, unhealthy meal options when they did prepare m…