A Comprehensive Examination of the Nature, Frequency, and Context of Parental Weight Communication: Perspectives of Parents and Adolescents

Abstract

Research suggests that many parents make comments about their child’s weight, which is associated with negative adolescent health outcomes. Gaps in this literature include an underrepresentation of fathers, limited knowledge regarding positive versus negative parental weight comments and differences across race/ethnicity, and adolescent preferences for parental weight communication. The present study addressed these research gaps through a comprehensive investigation of two diverse samples of U.S. parents (n = 1936) and adolescents (n = 2032), who completed questionnaires about their experiences and perspectives of parental weight communication. Positive weight comments from parents were more frequent than negative comments, though both were commonly reported across sex, race/ethnicity, and weight status. In general, boys, fathers, Latino/a parents and adolescents, and adolescents with a high BMI and/or engaged in weight management reported more frequent parental weight-talk. Parent–adolescent weight communication occurred both in-person and digitally, and across daily life contexts. Although the majority of parents communicated positive messages of body diversity and respect, 44% and 63% of adolescents said they never want their mothers and fathers, respectively, to talk about their weight. Adolescents were offered circumstances that would increase their comfort level in having these conversations. Findings have implications for health professionals working with families to promote supportive health communication at home.

Motivations for engaging in or avoiding conversations about weight: Adolescent and parent perspectives

“…To date, the prevalence and nature of positive weight communication from parents have received little empirical attention. 23 Comments from parents about self-acceptance of weight, body size diversity, and/or body positivity could potentially benefit their child's wellbeing by challenging critical societal messages about the weight that youth are commonly exposed to. As our findings suggest that parents are motivated with these intentions in their weight communication to promote body esteem in their children, it will be important for future research to determine the impact of positive intentions and weight comments on adolescents' emotional and physical wellbeing.…”

“…These findings highlight the need for further investigation on positive parental weight communication. To date, the prevalence and nature of positive weight communication from parents have received little empirical attention 23 . Comments from parents about self‐acceptance of weight, body size diversity, and/or body positivity could potentially benefit their child's wellbeing by challenging critical societal messages about the weight that youth are commonly exposed to.…”

“…Given these findings, it will be important for future research to determine what aspects of weight conversations adolescents feel are most distressing, and whether there are positive forms of parental weight talk that make adolescents feel comfortable and supported. Of note, recent evidence has documented more frequent weight talk among Latinx parents than parents of other racial/ethnic groups 23 ; given that Latinx adolescents reported stronger motivations to avoid weight conversations with parents, future studies should examine potential disconnect and conflicting perspectives in Latinx parent‐adolescent weight communication.…”

“…Data collection occurred between October and December 2021, and study procedures were approved by the University of Connecticut Institutional Review Board. Additional details describing data collection and sample composition are reported elsewhere 23 …”

“…Of note, recent evidence has documented more frequent weight talk among Latinx parents than parents of other racial/ ethnic groups23 ; given that Latinx adolescents reported stronger motivations to avoid weight conversations with parents, future studies should examine potential disconnect and conflicting perspectives in Latinx parent-adolescent weight communication.…”