Studies on parenting styles and eating behavior of children

Parenting Style and Family Meals: Cross-Sectional and 5-year Longitudinal Associations

• Studied associations between parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, neglectful) and the frequency of family meals among adolescents

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2906915/

Parenting Style and Family Meals: Cross-Sectional and 5-year Longitudinal Associations

• Parenting style has the potential to impact eating behaviors

• “Maternal authoritative parenting style predicted more frequent family meals for sons compared to neglectful parenting style”

• authoritative parenting style predicted higher frequency of family meals

Association between parenting practices and children's dietary intake

• purpose of this study was to examine child and parent background correlates of energy balance-related parenting practices at age 5, as well as the associations of these practices with children's diet, activity behavior, and body mass index (BMI) development

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3065396/

Association between parenting practices and children's dietary intake

• Parental restriction of unhealthy intake was also positively associated with child BMI

• Child BMI was also positively associated with parental stimulation of healthy intake

• High parental control over child eating interferes with children's self-control over their intake thus leading to a deviant eating style

Interventions

Transtheoretical Model of Changeby Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983.

Pre-Contemplation

• Increasing awareness– Does the family recognize the need for a change?

• Educate the family on the importance of a healthy lifestyle and diet

– Do they understand the consequences of unhealthy eating habits and opposing parenting styles?• Teach them about the short term and long term effects

of being unhealthy

– Do they see the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle?• ‘Quiz’ them on their learnings

Contemplation

• Re-affirm the family’s decision to make changes– Praise the family’s decision to commit to change– State, once again, the benefits that they will gain

from it– Assure that you support their decision

Preparation

• Target and build specific knowledge and specific skills– Make a list of objectives

• Set achievable goals for the family– Start with small, realistic goals that are easy to

attain

Seed 3: Communicate

• Listen. Be open. Check for understanding.– To your partner– To your child

• Try to understand where the other person is coming from.

• Explain. Respond openly and honestly.

Action

• Child– Start slowly but surely• Introduce vegetable and fruits one at a time

– Encourage but not coerce• Use of coercive control tactics to counter

children’s resistance during mealtimes resulted to problematic eaters (Sanders, et. al., 1993)

Action

• Child– Set simple cognitive rules • Vague instruction giving was particularly

likely to be associated with increased food refusal and decreased chewing (Sanders et. al, 1993)• “When, then” rule

Action

• Parents– Establish a unified parenting style• Authoritative parenting style• Communicate with one another

– Set an example to children

Maintenance

• Are they aware of the change they have achieved?

• Are they aware of the things that they may tempt them to revert in their old behavior?

Maintainance

• Operant conditioning: creating an environment that will support healthy eating habits and reduce exposure to bad eating healthy habits

Maintainance

• Availability of high fat, high sugar foods are considered antecedent of poor eating habits (Bowmann and Pratt, 2008)o Discourage buying junkfoods, chocolates and

candieso Discourage buying noodles and other

unhealthy alternatives

Maintainance

• Reinforce positive behavior by commending good behavior

• Associate healthy eating with happiness. Make eating time a pleasurable activity

• Be involved in community programs that motivate them to continue the change.

Maintainance

• Addressing other issues that will contribute to the problems (e.g. finances)