Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026
06:21
Concept Development and Use of an Automated Food Intake and Eating Behavior Assessment Method
Published on: February 19, 2021
Arguments at mealtime and child energy intake
Daniel Burnier1, Lise Dubois, Manon Girard
1Institute of Population Health, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
|August 20, 2011
Summary
Children who experience fewer arguments at mealtimes may consume more daily energy. Peaceful family meals are associated with higher energy intake in children, even when accounting for other factors.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Child Development
- Family Studies
Background:
- Mealtime dynamics significantly influence children's eating behaviors and nutritional intake.
- Understanding the relationship between family interactions and children's energy consumption is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between arguments during mealtimes and the daily energy intake of young children.
- To determine if a conflict-free mealtime environment relates to higher energy consumption in children.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study utilizing data from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD).
- Involved 1,549 four-year-old children and their parents through interviews and dietary recall.
- Energy intake was assessed via 24-hour dietary recall; statistical analyses included chi-square tests and logistic regression.
Main Results:
- Children never exposed to mealtimes arguments had 2.5 times higher odds of consuming a high daily energy intake compared to those often or always exposed.
- This association remained significant after adjusting for physical activity, screen time, and parental factors.
Conclusions:
- Mealtimes free from parent-child arguments are linked to increased daily energy intake in children.
- These findings suggest that a calm mealtime environment may be a factor in children's overall energy consumption patterns.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Energy Balance
The human body gets energy from the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Energy is released when the chemical bonds in the organic compounds present in the food are broken down. The energy content of food is measured in kilocalories (kcal), defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. This value is determined by measuring the temperature change of the water surrounding a calorimeter after the complete...
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
00:51Energy Budgets
Organisms must balance energy intake with the energy required for growth, maintenance and reproduction. These trade-offs result in a variety of survivorship and reproductive strategies, including semelparity and iteroparity. Semelparous species, like annual plants, have only one reproductive episode in their lifetimes and consequently have short lifespans. Iteroparous species, by contrast, have many reproductive events during their lifetimes but have relatively few offspring. These two...
01:27Parentral Nutrition: Centeral and Peripheral Parental Nutrition
Parenteral Nutrition (PN) delivers essential nutrients directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system. It is commonly used for individuals with severe digestive disorders or conditions that prevent normal nutrient absorption.
PN can be administered through two primary routes:
1. Central Parenteral Nutrition (CPN):
CPN involves delivering a high concentration of nutrients through a large vein. This is typically achieved using a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) or,...
PN can be administered through two primary routes:
1. Central Parenteral Nutrition (CPN):
CPN involves delivering a high concentration of nutrients through a large vein. This is typically achieved using a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) or,...
01:06Fats as Energy Storage Molecules
Triglycerides are a form of long-term energy storage molecules. They are made of glycerol and three fatty acids. To obtain energy from fat, triglycerides must first be broken down by hydrolysis into their two principal components, fatty acids and glycerol. This process, called lipolysis, takes place in the cytoplasm. The resulting fatty acids are oxidized by β-oxidation into acetyl-CoA, which is used by the Krebs cycle. The glycerol that is released from triglycerides after lipolysis directly...
02:16Self-Schemas
In general, a schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts (Bartlett, 1932). There are many different types of schemata, and they all have one thing in common: schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate assumptions about the person or object being observed.