Parental influences on eating behavior in obese and nonobese preadolescents

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R G Laessle1, H Uhl, B Lindel

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

The International Journal of Eating Disorders
|December 18, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Mothers presence influences childhood obesity. Obese children eat faster with larger bites when their mother is present, suggesting a learned eating behavior contributing to long-term positive energy balance.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric obesity research
  • Child psychology
  • Behavioral science

Background:

  • Parental influence is a significant factor in childhood development.
  • Understanding eating behaviors is crucial for addressing pediatric obesity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of maternal presence on the eating behavior of obese and normal-weight children.
  • To explore parental influences on childhood obesity through eating style analysis.

Main Methods:

  • Controlled repeated measures design with 80 children (aged 8-12 years).
  • Eating behavior observed with mother present versus absent in a laboratory setting.
  • Eating style measured using a universal eating monitor and cumulative eating curves with yogurt.

Main Results:

  • Obese children exhibited significantly different eating behaviors compared to normal-weight children only when the mother was present.
  • Obese children consumed food faster and took larger bites.
  • An acceleration in eating rate was observed in overweight children towards the end of the meal.

Conclusions:

  • The observed eating style in obese children may contribute to increased calorie intake and long-term positive energy balance.
  • Findings support a learning model of childhood obesity, highlighting the importance of family-based interventions.
  • Maternal presence acts as a modulator of eating behavior in children, particularly those who are obese.
Abstract

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