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The Hidden Persuaders: Childhood Eating Patterns that Correlate with Weight Gain and Obesity
Author(s) -
Kessler Heidi,
Werle Carolina O. C.,
Wansink Brian
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.641.5
Subject(s) - childhood obesity , obesity , psychology , healthy eating , food choice , developmental psychology , weight gain , eating behavior , healthy food , early childhood , medicine , environmental health , body weight , food science , physical activity , overweight , endocrinology , physical therapy , chemistry , pathology
When children make food choices away from home, the eating habits they established at home – both good and bad – can silently follow them into their new eating environment. The influence of childhood eating patterns was examined in a self‐reported survey of 211 college freshman (Study 1) and by combining food choice studies of 63 preschoolers with an eating pattern questionnaire completed by their parents (Study 2). Together they underscore that the presence of a wide variety of food at home, the pressure to “clean one's plate,” and the self‐plating of food by children are correlated with the less healthy food choices of preschoolers and weight gain among college students. While efforts targeting childhood obesity have centered on regulating advertising and the fast food landscape, these results suggest that a critical focus of education should be on family eating patterns.