Parents influence adolescents’ weight status through different strategies used in the home environment, including parenting styles (PSs), food parenting practices (FPPs), and family meal frequency. As the prevalence of obesity is higher among African American adolescents, investigation of which parental strategies serve as an adjustable factor for the prevention of obesity is critical. First, this study aims to examine the relationship between the different parenting influences and obesity statuses of both parents and 10–17-year-old adolescents among African American families. Second, it aims to examine the correlation between PSs and FPPs and frequency of family meals. A total of 211 parent–adolescent dyads completed an online survey using Qualtrics. Four PSs (i.e., authoritative, authoritarian, setting rules/expectations, and neglecting) and four FPPs (i.e., monitoring, reasoning, copying, and modeling) were identified for this study, along with family meal frequency. Body mass index (BMI) percentile and BMI were used to assess the obesity status of the adolescents and parents, respectively. No correlation was found between the adolescents’ and parents’ obesity status and the PSs and FPPs, while the adolescents’ BMI percentile was significantly correlated with parental BMI. However, a higher number of family meals decreased the likelihood of obesity among the adolescents to some extend and depended on the type of BMI used. An authoritative PS was the only style related to family meal frequency, while three FPPs, namely, monitoring, reasoning, and modeling, were related to a greater number of family meals in African American families. The findings of this study can be used in the development of parental education workshops/sessions, with consideration of the cultural differences in African American families, and can help parents to adopt the best parenting strategy to promote the healthy weight status of their adolescents.

Background: Obesity is a well-established risk factor for numerous chronic diseases, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and its impact is particularly acute among Black/African American men. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 70.9% of Black men aged 20 and older are overweight or obese. Despite this alarming prevalence, there remains a limited number of studies that specifically investigate the root causes of obesity in this population. Addressing this gap is critical to developing culturally relevant interventions that promote health equity. The purpose of this study was to assess dietary patterns, that are associated with overweight/obesity, in Black men aged 18–65 across the United States of America, to gain an in-depth understanding of variables influencing BMI in Black men. Methods: This study utilized a quantitative approach to collect information from participants. A survey questionnaire was developed and administered via Qualtrics to participants using a web link. The survey collected information across 18 dietary variables. Data was exported to Microsoft Excel for statistical analysis. A simple linear regression was used to determine dietary variables correlation strength and significance with BMI. A significance level of p < 0.05 was used to determine if a variable was statistically significant. Variables were then organized based on significance vs. non significance and correlation strength. Result: The study sample consisted of 466 Black men aged 18 to 65 years. The mean BMI was 30.21. Approximately 19% (n = 87) had a BMI within the healthy range (18.5–24.9), 41% (n = 190) were categorized as overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9), and another 41% (n = 189) were classified as obese (BMI ≥ 30.0). The findings revealed that fruit and vegetable consumption and whole grain cereal consumption were significantly and positively correlated with BMI. Other variables, such as fried foods, processed foods, and sugary drinks, though historically associated with obesity, did not show statistical significance in this population. Conclusions: Results suggest that while multiple dietary factors influence BMI, fruit, vegetable, and whole grain consumption are significantly correlated with BMI in Black men living in America. The findings from this study serve as a foundational step for designing targeted, culturally sensitive interventions aimed at reducing obesity-related health disparities. Future research should further explore how tailored public health messaging and community-based programming can address the specific needs of this population.