Exploring parents' attitudes and behaviors about their children's physical appearance

Abstract

This survey study provides descriptive information regarding parents' evaluations of children's physical appearance, eating habits and exercise behaviors, and of parental efforts to influence their children's physical appearance. It further tests hypotheses of gender‐related differences and age effects in parents' evaluations of their children. The study sample included 1,276 adult men and women who were selected from the participants of a body image survey. To be included, respondents had to be a parent of a child between the ages of 2 years and 16 years. A majority of respondents were found to be basically satisfied with their child's physical appearance, eating habits, and exercise behavior. However, increasingly less positive evaluations were reported with increasing age of the child. This shift in attitude was observed already among parents of grade schoolers. Few gender‐related differences were found between male and female respondents, although women appeared to be more involved in influencing children's appearance. Analyses exploring differences concerning gender of the child found mixed results. Some questions resulted in gender‐related differences consistent with the greater importance of beauty for women compared with men, yet our data also suggested that increasingly, men are included in our culture's mandate to value and pursue physical attractiveness.

Eating Behaviours and Body Weight Concerns among Adolescent Girls

“…In some cases, parents influence their child to lose weight without imparting the proper knowledge of losing weight. Hence, the children tend to follow unhealthy means while losing weight [83], while other studies showed that the parents did influence their children's eating habits by imparting proper knowledge [84,85]. Peer influence and group conformity can be considered as important determinants in food acceptability and selection.…”

Impact of Media on Development of Eating Disorders in Young Females of Pakistan

“…Furthermore, daughters' concerns are also related to fathers concern about their own weight. According to Striegel-Moore and Kearney-Cooke (1994), parents are satisfied with their children's appearance generally, but as the child's age increase, their negative comments increase. In support of this statement, Agras and hammer et al, (1999) suggested that mothers might be less concerned about their sons weight than their daughters, especially when the mother herself is suffering from eating disorder.…”

Comparing the self concept of children with cerebral palsy to the perceptions of their parents

“…A study of 1,276 parents of children without disabilities that investigated parental perceptions of their child's physical appearance concluded that mothers and fathers were satisfied with the physical attractiveness of their child and that it was 'normal' for parents to view their child as physically attractive [32]. Parents of children with cancer have also been shown to rate their child's physical appearance significantly higher compared to the child's rating [33].…”