Parental influences on weight-related health behaviors in western and eastern cultures

B. S. Niemeier, Y. P. Duan*, B. R. Shang, J. Yang

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

    10 Citations (Scopus)
    38 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Background: Excessive bodyweight contributes to a myriad of risk factors for chronic diseases, and multiple reports have demonstrated that parents influence the development of their children's behaviors that contribute to bodyweight. However, studies that include considerations for cultural influences are limited, and methodology that considers direct reports from young adults and their parents across cultures does not exist. 

    Methods: A sample of young adults (N = 327) and their parents in the U.S. and in China were recruited and completed a series of questionnaires in two cycles (2010 and 2014). With correlation and multiple regression analyses, parents’ characteristics, behaviors, and parental authority styles were examined and compared to weight-related health behaviors and bodyweight of their young-adult children. Additionally, similarities and differences of parental influences between the two cultures were explored. 

    Results: Parents’ body mass indexes (BMIs) and dietary behaviors were positively associated with those of their young adult children in the mixed-culture sample (P <.001 for both). When controlling for gender, at high levels of authoritarian and permissive parental authority, the relationships between young adults' and their parents’ BMIs were negative for U.S. participants and positive for Chinese participants (P <.05 for both). Further, at high levels of authoritarian parenting, the relationship between young adults' and their parents’ dietary consumption behaviors was negative for U.S. participants and positive for Chinese participants (P <.001). 

    Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the development of life-long health behaviors that contribute to BMI are significantly influenced by parents’ behaviors and parenting styles. Moreover, an interaction of parental characteristics and cultural norms is indicated.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)259-266
    Number of pages8
    JournalChild: Care, Health and Development
    Volume43
    Issue number2
    Early online date10 Jan 2017
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Mar 2017

    Scopus Subject Areas

    • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
    • Developmental and Educational Psychology
    • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

    User-Defined Keywords

    • Body Mass Index
    • Culture
    • Health Behavior
    • Obesity
    • Parental Authority
    • Parenting

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