Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Longitudinal associations between parenting style and adolescent disordered eating behaviors

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The main purpose of this study was to identify the longitudinal association between specific parenting styles (authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglectful) and adolescent disordered eating behaviors.

Methods

The current study uses longitudinal data from a 5-year study to examine the associations between parenting style and disordered eating behaviors among adolescents. Data from adolescents (n = 2516) participating in Project EAT (Eating Among Teens), a population-based study from 31 Minnesota schools, were used in the analysis. Time 1 data were collected using in-class assessments of adolescents from Minneapolis/St. Paul schools, and Time 2 data were collected using mailed surveys 5 years later. General Linear Models were used to predict adolescent-reported disordered eating behaviors at Time 2 from adolescent-reported parenting style at Time 1.

Results

Adolescent boys and girls who had authoritarian mothers at Time 1 had a higher probability of extreme weight control behaviors 5 years later compared to adolescents with authoritative, permissive, or neglectful mothers. Adolescent girls with authoritarian mothers at Time 1 had a higher probability of engaging in binge-eating behaviors at Time 2 compared to adolescent girls with authoritative or permissive mothers. There were no significant associations between paternal parenting style and adolescent disordered eating behaviors. Although authoritarian parenting style served as a possible risk factor for disordered eating behaviors in adolescents, the findings were not conclusive.

Conclusion

Future studies should investigate further the association between parenting style and weight control behaviors in adolescents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Larson NI, Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M (2009) Weight control behaviors and dietary intake among young adults: longitudinal findings from project EAT. J Am Diet Assoc 109:1869–1877. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2009.08.016

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Vincent MA, McCabe MP (2000) Gender differences among adolescents in family, and peer influences on body dissatisfaction, weight loss and binge eating behaviors. J Youth Adolesc 29:205–221. doi:10.1023/A:1005156616173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Neumark-Stzainer D et al (1998) Adolescents engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors: are they at risk for other health-compromising behaviors? Am J Public Health 88:952–955. doi:10.2105/AJPH.88.6.952

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Crow S, Eisenberg ME, Story M, Neumark-Stzainer D (2007) Suicidal behavior in adolescents: relationship to weight status, weight control behaviors and body dissatisfaction. Int J Eat Disord 41:82–87. doi:10.1002/eat.20466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Botta RA (2006) Television images and adolescent girls’ body image disturbance. J Commun 49:22–41. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.1999.tb02791.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Latzer Y, Hochdorf Z, Bachar E, Canetti L (2002) Attachment style and family functioning as discriminating factors in eating disorders. Contemp Fam Therapy 24:581–599. doi:10.1023/A:1021273129664

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Gravener JA, Haedt AA, Heatherton TF, Keel PK (2008) Gender and age differences in associations between peer dieting and drive for thinness. Int J Eat Disord 41:57–63. doi:10.1002/eat.20438

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Byely L (2000) A prospective study of familial and social influences on girls’ body Image and dieting. Int J Eat Disord 28(2):155–164. doi:10.1002/1098-108X(200009)28:2<155:AID-EAT4>3.0.CO;2-K

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Yanez AM, Peix MA, Atserias N, Arnau A, Brug J (2007) Association of eating attitudes between teenage girls and their parents. Int J Soc Psychiatry 53:507–513. doi:10.1177/0020764007078350

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Bertalanffy LV (1951) Theoretical models in biology and psychology. In: Krech D, Klein GS (eds) Theoretical models and personality. Duke University Press, Durham, pp 24–38. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1951.tb01511.x

    Google Scholar 

  11. Abar B, Carter KL, Winsler A (2008) The effects of maternal parenting Style and religious commitment on self-regulation, academic achievement and risk behavior among African-American parochial college students. J Adolesc 32:259–273. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2008.03.008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Finkelstein JS, Donenberg GR, Martinovich Z (2001) Maternal control and adolescent depression: ethnic differences among clinically referred girls. J Youth Adolesc 30:155–171. doi:10.1023/A:1010341724157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Darling N, Steinberg L (1993) Parenting style as context: an integrative model. Psychol Bull 113:487–496. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.113.3.487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Baumrind D (1991) The influence of parenting style on adolescent competence and substance use. J Early Adolesc 11:56–95. doi:10.1177/0272431691111004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Berge JM, Wall M, Loth K, Neumark-Sztainer D (2009) Parenting style as a predictor of adolescent weight and weight-related behaviors. J Adolesc Health 46:331–338. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Suldo S, Huebner ES (2004) The role of life satisfaction in the relationship between authoritative parenting dimensions and adolescent problem behavior. Soc Indic Res 66:165–195. doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-2312-5_9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Newman K et al (2008) Relationships between parenting styles and risk behaviors in adolescent health: an integrative literature review. Rev Lat Am Enferm 16:142–150. doi:10.1590/S0104-11692008000100022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Maccoby EE, Martin JA (1983) Socialization in the context of the family: parent–child interaction. In: Handbook of Child Psychology, vol. 4: Personality and Social Development. Wiley, New York, pp 1–110

  19. Neumark-Sztainer D, Bauer KW, Friend S, Hannan P, Berge JM (2010) Family weighttalk and dieting: How much do they matter for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors in adolescent girls? J Adolesc Health 47:270–276. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.02.001

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Mellin AE, Neumark-Stzainer D, Story M, Ireland M, Resnick MD (2002) Unhealthy behaviors and psychosocial difficulties among overweight adolescents: the potential impact of familial factors. J Adolsec Health 31:145–153. doi:10.1016/S1054-139X(01)00396-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Brann LS, Skinner JD (2005) More controlling child-feeding practices are found among parents of boys with an average body mass index compared with parents of boys with a high body mass index. J Am Diet Assoc 105:1411–1416. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2005.06.005

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, Perry C, Casey MA (1999) Factors influencing food choices of adolescents: findings from focus-groups discussions with adolescents. J Am Diabet Assoc 99:929–937. doi:10.1016/S0002-8223(99)00222-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, Hannan PJ, Perry C, Irving L (2002) Weight-related concerns and behaviors among overweight and non-overweight adolescents. Arch Pediatr Med 156:171–178. doi:10.1001/archpedi.156.2.171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Rockett HR et al (1997) Validation of a youth/adolescent food frequency questionnaire. Prev Med 26:808–816. doi:10.1006/pmed.1997.0200

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Bandura A (2000) Encyclopedia of psychology., 7American Psychological Association, Washington DC, pp 329–332. doi:10.1037/10522-140

    Google Scholar 

  26. Baumrind D (1989) Rearing competent children. In: Damon (ed) Child development today and tomorrow. San Francisco, CA, pp 349–378

  27. Maccoby EE (2000) Parenting and its effects on children: On reading and misreading behavior genetics. Annu Rev Psychol 51:1–27. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.51.1.1

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Resnick M, Harris L, Blum R (1993) The impact of caring and connectedness on adolescent health and well-being. J Pediatr Child Health 29:S3–S9. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1754.1993.tb02257.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Chassin L, Presson CC, Sherman SJ (1984) Cognitive and social influence factors in adolescent smoking cessation. Addict Behav 9:383–390. doi:10.1016/0306-4603(84)90038-8

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Yanovski SZ, Nelson JE, Dubbert BK, Spitzer RL (1993) Association of binge eating disorder and psychiatric comorbidity in obese subjects. Am J Psychiatry 150:1472–1479. doi:10.1016/0306-4603(84)90038-8

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Kuczmarski R et al (2000) 2000 CDC Growth Charts for the United States: methods and development. Advanced Data: 1-27.ISBN 0-8406-0575-7

  32. Breiman L, Friedman J, Olsen R, Stone C (1984) Classification and Regression Trees. Wadsworth International Group, Belmont

    Google Scholar 

  33. SAS Institute (1997) SAS/STAT software: Changes and enhancements.Release 9.1. Cary, NC: SAS Institute

  34. Little R (1986) Survey non-response adjustments for estimates of means. Int Stat Rev 54:137–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Stewart SD, Menning CL (2009) Family structure, nonresident father involvement and adolescent eating patterns. J Adolsec Health 45:193–201. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.01.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Treasure J, Claudino AM, Zucker N (2010) Eating disorders. Lancet 375:583–593. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61748-7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Chao RK (2001) Extending research on the consequences of parenting style for Chinese Americans and European Americans. Child Dev 72(1832–1843):47. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00381

    Google Scholar 

  38. Neumark-Sztainer D (2001) Family mealtime while growing up: Associations with symptoms of bulimia nervosa. Eat Disord 9:239–249. doi:10.1080/10640260127551

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Le Grange D, Lock J, Loeb K, Nicholls D (2010) Academy for eating disorders position paper: the role of the family in eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord 43:1–5. doi:10.1002/eat.20751

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Haycraft E, Blissett J (2010) Eating disorder symptoms and parenting styles. Appetite 54:221–224. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2009.11.009

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family and Community Medicine, St. Louis University, 3700 Lindell Ave (Morrissey Hall Rm. 1129), St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA

    Max Zubatsky

  2. Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, 516 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Jerica Berge

  3. Division of Adolescent Health and Medicine, University of Minnesota, 2450 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA

    Dianne Neumark-Sztainer

Authors
  1. Max Zubatsky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jerica Berge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dianne Neumark-Sztainer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Max Zubatsky.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zubatsky, M., Berge, J. & Neumark-Sztainer, D. Longitudinal associations between parenting style and adolescent disordered eating behaviors. Eat Weight Disord 20, 187–194 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-014-0154-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-014-0154-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation