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Parental influences on laboratory eating behavior in obese and non-obese children

R G Laessle1, H Uhl, B Lindel

  • 1University of Trier, Center of Psychobiological Research, 52486 Trier, Germany. laessle@uni-trier.de

International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders : Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity
|July 24, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Parental presence significantly alters eating behavior in obese children, who eat faster with larger bites when mothers are present. This suggests a learned component to childhood obesity, impacting family-based interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Behavioral Science
  • Childhood Obesity Research

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern.
  • Understanding factors influencing eating behavior is crucial for intervention.
  • Parental influence on child eating habits requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of parental presence on the eating behavior of obese and normal-weight children.
  • To compare the eating styles of children with and without maternal presence.
  • To explore the role of learned behaviors in childhood obesity.

Main Methods:

  • Controlled repeated measurement design with 80 children (aged 8-12 years).
  • Eating behavior was observed in a laboratory setting with the mother either present or absent.
  • Eating style was quantified using a universal eating monitor and cumulative eating curves with yogurt as a standardized meal.

Main Results:

  • Obese children's eating behavior significantly differed from normal-weight children only when the mother was present.
  • Obese children exhibited faster eating rates and larger bite sizes.
  • An acceleration in eating rate was observed towards the end of the meal in obese children.

Conclusions:

  • The observed eating style in obese children may contribute to increased calorie intake and positive energy balance.
  • Findings support a learning model for childhood obesity.
  • The results have implications for family-based treatment strategies for childhood obesity.
Abstract

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