Associations between family eating behaviours and body composition measures in peri-adolescents: Results from a community-based study of school-aged children

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:To identify key eating behaviours in children and their parents and to determine the associations between these behaviours and measures of body composition in children. METHODS:Data were collected on a sample of 431 peri-adolescent children (12.4±0.3 years) and their parents from the Niagara Region. Body composition was assessed by trained research assistants. Eating behaviours were assessed using a revised version of the Family Eating and Activity Habits Questionnaire. Principal component analyses were used to identify key eating behaviours among children, mothers and fathers. Linear regression models were used to assess their associations with body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio, waist-to-hip ratio, waist girth, and hip girth measures in children. RESULTS:Emotional/uncontrolled eating and eating by the television in children and their mothers were positively associated with measures of body composition in children. Other eating behaviours that were associated with larger measures of body composition in children included low frequency of eating meals with parents, frequent sweet beverage consumption and snacking and eating "on-the-go" in children, eating "on-the-go" in mothers, and emotional eating and eating by the television/late at night in fathers. CONCLUSIONS:The eating behaviours of children and mothers, and to a lesser degree fathers, are important predictors of children's body composition. Public health interventions designed to help mothers and children reduce the frequency of emotional/uncontrolled eating and eating by the television may be effective means of facilitating positive weight outcomes in children.

Distraction, restrained eating and disinhibition: An experimental study of food intake and the impact of ‘eating on the go’

“…It is also in line with previous experimental research, indicating that distraction may trigger overeating in dieters (Hetherington et al, 2006;Ward and Mann, 2000). Furthermore, it reflects concerns over 'eating on the go' and the potential impact on overeating and weight gain (Hajna et al, 2014;Ogden, 2014). Therefore, the results indicate that eating while walking may disinhibit those higher in restrained eating triggering overeating at a subsequent meal.…”

Association of eating while television viewing and overweight/obesity among children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies

“…There was large variation among studies for the number of participants (112–15,973) and age of children (3.6–18 years). Twelve articles reported the association between eating meals while TVV with overweight or obesity , and four articles used abdominal obesity or waist circumferences as the primary outcome measure . Nine articles examined the relationship between eating any meal (did not specified the meal) while TVV, while nine articles specified breakfast, lunch or dinner (Table ).…”

“…interventional studies) (n = 6). Twenty relevant articles (4,5,(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)31) were identified for the systematic review, of which eight articles (5,10,12,13,20,25,26,31) reported OR for overweight/ obesity and were therefore included in the meta-analysis. Only one of the eight articles (5) assessed obesity as an outcome; we therefore included overweight in the meta-analysis.…”

Children Family Food Choice Motives among Parents of Healthy Weight and Overweight School- Aged: a Mixed Method Study

“…It may be that parents of overweight/obese children use food to help their children feel better or overcome emotions. A previous study also reported that emotional eating behaviors such as "eating when bored" or "eating when upset/ anger" were positively associated with children's BMI values [16]. However, compared to other family food choice motives, items in the "mood" subscale scored the lowest ("cheers up our family"=5.08; "helps us relax"=4.20 and "keeps us awake"=3.84) among all participants including parents of overweight/obese children.…”