Positive Feeding Practices During Childhood Are Associated With Higher Intuitive Eating in Adulthood

ABSTRACT

Background

Parental restrictive feeding and pressure to eat have been negatively associated with intuitive eating. However, parental feeding practices that promote intuitive eating are less understood.

Purpose

To examine caregiver feeding practices that may promote intuitive eating and the moderating effect of gender.

Method

A cross-sectional survey with 941 U.S. adults who completed the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 and recalled their primary childhood caregiver(s)’ feeding practices.

Results

Ensuring the availability of healthful foods at home was associated with higher intuitive eating among both female (b = 0.147, P < .001) and male (b = 0.091, P = .018) participants. Encouraging diet diversity (b = 0.095, P = .009) was associated with higher intuitive eating among female participants only, whereas honoring children’s hunger and satiety feelings (b = 0.136, P = .001) was associated with higher intuitive eating among male participants only (adjusted for participants’ current age, education, and income).

Discussion

Findings established links between positive caregiver feeding practices and higher intuitive eating, with gender playing a moderating role.

Translation to Health Education Practice

The design and results of the study relate to the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Inc. responsibilities, competencies, and subcompetencies (areas I, II, IV, and V).

A AJHE Self-Study quiz is online for this article via the SHAPE America Online Institute (SAOI) http://portal.shapeamerica.org/trn-Webinars

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (RSCA) Grant provided by the California State University Chancellor’s Office.