Studying intergenerational transmission of eating attitudes and behaviors: Methodological and conceptual questions.

Baker, Christina Wood; Whisman, Mark A.; Brownell, Kelly D.

doi:10.1037/0278-6133.19.4.376

Cited by 99 publications

(107 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…That weight teasing could have beneficial effects is also suggested by a recent focus group study 55 that found that lowincome mothers defined a child as obese depending on teasing history rather than on growth charts. Pertinent data on the context-specific nature of weight and eating criticism also come from a recent report by Baker et al, 56 who found that eating disorder tendencies in undergraduates were associated with maternal criticisms specific to the child's eating behavior rather than general criticisms of the child.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weight Criticism During Physical Activity, Coping Skills, and Reported Physical Activity in Children

Leone²,

et al. 2002

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ABSTRACT. Objective. National health guidelines advocate increased physical activity in children and adolescents, but specific goals are not being achieved. Data are needed on variables that influence children's decision to be active or sedentary.Methods. We tested the association of weight criticism during physical activity (WCA) with attitudes toward physical activity and reported physical activity levels in children. We also tested whether these associations were moderated by children's ability to cope with weight criticism. Subjects were 576 fifth-through eighth-graders who completed a questionnaire on physical activity patterns, weight criticism history, and coping skills.Results. WCA was more common among girls than boys and among heavier children. In multiple regression analyses, WCA was associated with reduced sports enjoyment, perceived activity compared with peers, and mild-intensity leisure activity. These associations, however, were moderated by problem-focused coping skills such that the relationships were attenuated in children who were better able to cope with weight criticism. Avoidant coping skills also moderated the relationship between WCA and sports enjoyment.Conclusions. Children who are the targets of weight criticism by family and peers have negative attitudes toward sports and report reduced physical activity levels, although these relationships may be buffered by certain coping skills. Assessing WCA and related coping skills may be clinically useful for identifying barriers to physical activity in certain children (eg, the obese) and may be a potential target for interventions. Pediatrics 2002;110(2).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weight Criticism During Physical Activity, Coping Skills, and Reported Physical Activity in Children

Leone²,

et al. 2002

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“…To date, three studies have investigated indirect and direct parental influences on dieting behaviors in boys and girls from the perspectives of both parents and children; 19,20,24 however the 'child' participants were either young children 19,20 or college-age adults. 24 Thus, two important sets of relationships have not been investigated: (1) simultaneous examination of parental modeling of dieting behaviors and parents' direct encouragement to diet on dieting practices of adolescent boys and girls; and (2) the relationships between parents' reported encouragement to diet and dieting practices for both adolescent boys and girls.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…24 Thus, two important sets of relationships have not been investigated: (1) simultaneous examination of parental modeling of dieting behaviors and parents' direct encouragement to diet on dieting practices of adolescent boys and girls; and (2) the relationships between parents' reported encouragement to diet and dieting practices for both adolescent boys and girls. One of the most interesting pieces of information missing from this body of literature is data regarding weight-related concerns and behaviors of parents who encourage their children to diet.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weight-related attitudes and behaviors ofadolescent boys and girls who are encouraged to diet by their mothers

et al. 2002

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OBJECTIVE:To assess the relationships between mothers' reports of dieting and encouraging adolescents to diet and adolescents' reports of their own dieting practices and weight-related concerns. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of parent interviews and adolescent surveys in an ethnically-diverse sample. SUBJECTS: A total of 810 adolescents (n ¼ 381 boys and n ¼ 429 girls) and their mothers. RESULTS: Mothers' dieting was associated with their adolescent girls' weight-related concerns and behaviors, but these associations were not significant after adjusting for girls' body mass index (BMI). In contrast, mothers' encouragement for sons to diet was associated with sons' binge eating, dieting and other weight-control behaviors, even after controlling for sons' BMI. Compared with mothers who did not encourage their child to diet, mothers who encouraged their child to diet were significantly heavier women and were more likely to view their child as overweight. Forty-three percent of boys and 46% of girls who were encouraged by their mothers to diet were classified as nonoverweight by federal guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Boys who are encouraged by their mothers to diet may be at risk for health-compromising eating and dieting behaviors, particularly binge-eating, fasting, eating a little bit of food and skipping meals. Parents who are concerned about their children's weight should be educated to encourage healthy eating habits and physical activity to promote their children's health, including healthy weight control.

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“…This particular sample is of interest because research suggests that White girls from middle-and upper class families are more likely to identify with the "thin ideal" and are at greater risk of body dissatisfaction, weight concerns, and dieting compared with boys and girls from other ethnic and socioeconomic groups (Collins, 1991;Dornbusch et al, 1984;Parker et al, 1995; S. H. Thompson, Corwin, & Sargent, 1997;Wardle & Marsland, 1990). In addition, research indicates that in comparison to boys, girls are more likely to derive their sense of self from their physical appearance (Harter, 1998), parents are more critical of girls' weight status (Pierce & Wardle, 1993), and girls are more influenced by parental approval or criticism of their physical appearance (Baker, Whisman, & Brownell, 2000;Eskilson & Wiley, 1987). Research has shown that socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with weight status (see Sobal & Stunkard, 1989, for a review) and self-concept (Bullock & Pennington, 1988;O'Brien, Smith, Bush, & Peleg, 1990;Reddy & Gibbons, 1999).…”

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confidence: 99%

Processes linking weight status and self-concept among girls from ages 5 to 7 years.

Davison¹,

Birch²

2002

Developmental Psychology

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This study assessed the relationship between girls' weight status and self-concept and examined peer teasing and parent criticism as potential mediators of this relationship. Data were collected for 182 girls and their parents when the girls were 5 and 7 years old. At each age, girls' body mass index, self-concept, peer weight-related teasing (child report), and parents' criticism of girls' weight status (spouse report) were assessed. At ages 5 and 7, girls who were more overweight reported lower selfconcept. Peer teasing and parent criticism mediated the relationship between weight status and selfconcept at age 7, but not at age 5. In addition, the duration and timing of parent criticism across ages 5 and 7 mediated the association between girls' weight status at age 5 and perceived peer acceptance at age 7.In the past two decades, a twofold increase has been reported in rates of overweight and obesity among U.S. children (Troiano & Flegal, 1998). Today, 25% of U.S. children aged 6 to 17 years are obese or at risk of obesity (i.e., overweight). Overweight children and adolescents report negative self-evaluations in comparison to their nonoverweight peers (e.g., Banis et al., 1988;Braet, Mervielde, & Vandereycken, 1997;Kaplan & Wadden, 1986;Mendelson & White, 1985), potentially reflecting negative stereotypes held by both adults and children toward obesity (Brylinsky & Moore, 1994;Lerner & Korn, 1972;Maddox, Back, & Liederman, 1968;Richardson, Goodman, Hastorf, & Dornbusch, 1961; Wardle, Volz, & Golding, 1995). Although numerous studies have assessed the simple relationship between weight status and self-concept among children, research has seldom assessed processes linking weight status and self-concept; likewise, no research has assessed how such processes change with age. In this study we assessed (a) the relationship between weight status and self-concept in a longitudinal sample of girls when they were 5 and 7 years old and (b) whether parental criticism and peer teasing mediate the relationship between weight status and self-concept. Children's Weight Status and Self-ConceptSelf-concept is multidimensional in nature, incorporating components such as the global self (or self-esteem), the physical-appearance self (or body esteem/satisfaction), the athletic self, the social self, and the academic self (Marsh, 1990). Among school-aged children and adolescents, concurrent associations have been found between childhood overweight and low global self-concept (Banis et al., 1988;Braet et al., 1997;Kaplan & Wadden, 1986;Kimm, Sweeney, Janosky, & MacMillan, 1991;Pierce & Wardle, 1993;Sallade, 1973;C. C. Strauss, Smith, Frame, & Forehand, 1985), low athletic self-concept (Braet et al., 1997;Phillips & Hill, 1998), and low physical-appearance self-concept, or low body esteem (Hill, Draper, & Stack, Mendelson & White, 1982Mendelson, White, & Mendelson, 1996;Phillips & Hill, 1998;Pierce & Wardle, 1993). In addition, obesity preceding adolescence has been associated with lower global self-concept during adol...

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Studying intergenerational transmission of eating attitudes and behaviors: Methodological and conceptual questions.

Cited by 99 publications

References 17 publications

Weight Criticism During Physical Activity, Coping Skills, and Reported Physical Activity in Children

Weight Criticism During Physical Activity, Coping Skills, and Reported Physical Activity in Children

Weight-related attitudes and behaviors ofadolescent boys and girls who are encouraged to diet by their mothers

Processes linking weight status and self-concept among girls from ages 5 to 7 years.

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