The Relationship Between Parental Influence on Childhood Dietary Patterns and Adulthood Physical Health

Abstract

The United States continues to face increasing rates of obesity, which are potentially partially influenced by childhood behaviors that may extend into adulthood habits. Previous studies have concluded that parental influence has a significant impact on children's dietary patterns and behaviors. However, such work commonly associates parental self-reports of behaviors (e.g., limiting a child's snacking) with observations of that child's behavior at the same point in time. In contrast, the current study assesses adult college students' recollections of parental influence on eating behaviors in childhood and correlates these recollections with a measure of obesity in adulthood (as measured via current body mass index [BMI]). A cross­sectional survey of college-age students completed a Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) and reported their current height and weight to calculate body mass index. Three subscales of the CFPQ were significantly positively correlated with BMI: lack of encouraging balance and variety (BV), (r = 0.32, p = 0.04), restrictions used for weight control (WC), (r = 0.37,p = 0.02) and lack of teachings about nutrition (TC) (r = 0.40,p =0.01). More research with a larger sample size and/or use oflongitudinal methods may help to continue examining the issue. The current findings suggest that parents should consider the vitality of educating themselves and therefore their children on the importance of balance, variety, and nutritional values of food rather than using restriction methods to help their children maintain healthy weight throughout the lifespan.