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Prevalence of Parental Comments on Weight/Shape/Eating amongst Sons and Daughters in an Adolescent Sample.

Author
Abstract
:

Reports suggest that 12-76% of adolescents have experienced parental comments regarding their weight/shape and/or eating behaviours. Parents may engage in conversations about weight/shape and eating out of concern, even without any ill intent; however, the associations of these comments with subsequent problematic psychosocial and eating behaviours are evidenced. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the content and prevalence of such comments is needed. To date, adolescent-reported prevalence estimates have not included differentiation between mother or father and sons or daughters, nor have they considered eating-focussed comments. This study considered the prevalence of positive and negative parental commentary regarding weight/shape and eating with a focus on parental origin. A total of 2287 Australian male and female adolescents participated via a self-report survey. Adolescents reported frequent positive comments on weight/shape and on eating, most commonly maternal positive comments on weight/shape (78%; 95% CI 77-80). Daughters reported significantly more maternal comments on weight/shape (positive and negative) as well as more negative eating comments from mothers than did sons. Sons reported significantly more negative weight/shape comments from fathers than did daughters. Some negative comments increased significantly with age. These findings support a notable prevalence of reported parental weight/shape and eating comments directed at their offspring, particularly from mothers.

Year of Publication
:
2021
Journal
:
Nutrients
Volume
:
13
Issue
:
1
Date Published
:
2021
URL
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https://www.mdpi.com/resolver?pii=nu13010158
DOI
:
10.3390/nu13010158
Short Title
:
Nutrients
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