Relationships of family conflict, cohesion, and chaos in the home environment on maternal and child food‐related behaviours

Abstract

This study examined how food-related behaviours differed in mothers and their preschool children by levels of family functioning (cohesion and conflict) and household disorganization (chaos). A nationally representative sample of mothers of preschoolers completed an online survey assessing food-related behaviours of themselves and their children. Maternal and child diet, eating behaviours, and health status; household availability of fruits/vegetables, salty/fatty snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages; family mealtime atmosphere; and family conflict, cohesion, and household chaos were assessed with valid, reliable scales. Cluster analyses assigned families into low, middle, and high conflict, cohesion, and chaos groups. Participants (n = 550) were 72% White, and 82% had some post-secondary education. Regression analysis examining the association of cluster grouping levels on diet-related behaviour measures revealed that positive home environments (i.e., low family conflict, high family cohesion, and low household chaos) were associated with healthier food-related behaviours (e.g., increased fruits/vegetables intake), whereas negative home environments (i.e., high family conflict, low family cohesion, and high household chaos) were associated with unhealthy food-related behaviours (e.g., greater % total calories from fat) even after controlling for sociodemographic and related behavioural factors. Findings suggest family functioning and household chaos are associated with food-related behaviours. This frequently overlooked component of family interaction may affect intervention outcomes and objectives of educational and interventional initiatives.

The Relationship between Household Chaos and Child, Parent, and Family Outcomes: A Systematic Scoping Review

“…In parents of children aged 18 months to 5 years (n=44), household chaos was significantly associated with fat intake and high serum cortisol levels; however, the relationship between household chaos and fat intake appeared to be somewhat mediated by cortisol levels, although this relationship was not significant (103). In mothers of children aged 2-5 years (n=550), high chaos was associated with greater engagement in emotional and disinhibited eating, while mothers in low chaos households were more likely to be adventurous eaters (102).…”

“…In another study, high and medium household chaos homes were more likely to experience low or very low food security compared with low chaos homes (96). Further, low chaos predicted greater availability of fruits and vegetables in the home and more family meals, while high chaos was a significant predictor of food insecurity risk and greater availability of salty and fatty snacks (102).…”

“…Twenty-one studies investigated the effects of household chaos on parenting and family functioning (4,10,46,76,(86)(87)(88)(89)(90)(91)(92)(93)(94)(95)(96)(97)(98)(99)(100)(101)(102), of which five focused on the role of household chaos as a mediator or moderator. Outcomes assessed included parenting, parent-child interactions, discipline, sibling relationships, parental response and reactions to child behaviours, family dysfunction, and food insecurity.…”

“…The relationship between household chaos and parent outcomes, including maternal executive function, parent sleep, parent feeding behaviours and weight status, and maternal depression, were assessed in six studies (12,(102)(103)(104)(105)(106), of which two studies included sample sizes of less than 50 participants (103,105), and all of which were conducted in the early childhood setting. Household chaos was associated with poorer maternal executive function (n=153), although the modest effect of household chaos overlapped with the effects of co-varying factors, including SES and verbal ability (12).…”

Do bedroom screens and the mealtime environment shape different trajectories of child overweight and obesity? Research using the Growing Up in Scotland study

“…These potential confounders are associated with children's weight status [23,37], and with bedroom TV and mealtime climate [38,39]. Home organisation at 58 months used three items from the confusion, hubbub, and order scale, alpha = 0.65 [40].…”