Premium
The ABCs of Family Mealtimes: Observational Lessons for Promoting Healthy Outcomes for Children With Persistent Asthma
Author(s) -
Fiese Barbara H.,
Winter Marcia A.,
Botti Joanna C.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01545.x
Subject(s) - observational study , context (archaeology) , psychology , asthma , developmental psychology , action (physics) , quality of life (healthcare) , medicine , paleontology , physics , pathology , quantum mechanics , psychotherapist , biology
Family mealtimes have the potential to promote healthy child development. This observational study of 200 family mealtimes examined the relation between child health in a group of children (ages 5 to 12) with persistent asthma and 3 dimensions of mealtime interaction: Action, Behavior Control, and Communication. Percent time spent in Action and Positive Communication varied by asthma severity, child quality of life, and sociodemographic variables. Positive communication during mealtimes predicted child quality of life. Significant interactions between demographic variables and behavior control suggested that higher levels of behavior control affected child quality of life in the context of lower maternal education. Guidance is offered for practitioners and policy makers toward promoting healthy family mealtimes as a public health priority.