Journal article
'He's got his father's bias': Parental influence on weight bias in young children
EC Spiel, RF Rodgers, SJ Paxton, EH Wertheim, SR Damiano, KJ Gregg, SA McLean
British Journal of Developmental Psychology | WILEY | Published : 2016
DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12123
Abstract
Our aim was to explore the role of parents in the transmission of stereotypical body size attitudes and awareness of weight loss strategies to preschool children. Participants were 279 3-year-old children and their parents, who provided data at baseline and 1 year later. Parents completed self-report body size attitude and dieting measures. Child weight bias and awareness of weight loss strategies were assessed through interview. Over time, negative associations with large bodies and awareness of weight loss strategies increased. Fathers' attitudes prospectively predicted boys' weight bias and awareness of weight loss strategies. Among girls, parental attitudes were less predictive. Findings..
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Awarded by Australian Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
This research was funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant to Prof Susan J Paxton and Prof Eleanor H Wertheim (DP 110103114). This work was conducted while this author was an honorary visiting scholar at La Trobe University.