Family Environments Affecting Adolescent Girls' Weight
Author Information
Author(s): Katherine W. Bauer, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Mary Story, Jayne A. Fulkerson
Primary Institution: University of Minnesota
Hypothesis
How do weight-related family environments of adolescent girls vary by sociodemographic factors?
Conclusion
Parents of Asian girls provide a more supportive family environment for physical activity and healthy eating compared to parents of girls from other racial/ethnic backgrounds.
Supporting Evidence
- Parents of Asian girls reported more supportive family environments for physical activity and healthy eating.
- Higher parental education was linked to more frequent family meals and better modeling of healthy behaviors.
- Parents of foreign-born girls had fewer televisions in the home and more frequent family meals.
Takeaway
This study found that the way families support healthy eating and exercise varies a lot depending on things like race and education. Some families do a better job than others.
Methodology
The study used a cross-sectional design with hierarchical regression models to analyze data from parent-daughter dyads.
Potential Biases
Potential social desirability bias may have influenced parents' responses.
Limitations
The study only used parental education as a measure of socioeconomic status, which may not fully capture families' socioeconomic position.
Participant Demographics
The sample included 253 parent-daughter dyads, with a diverse racial and ethnic composition among the girls.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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