Family dinner and disordered eating behaviors in a large cohort of adolescents

Eat Disord. 2010 Jan-Feb;18(1):10-24. doi: 10.1080/10640260903439516.

Abstract

We aimed to examine longitudinal associations between family dinner and disordered eating behaviors among adolescents. We studied 7535 females and 5913 males, 9 to 14 years of age in 1996. We performed multivariable logistic regression to assess the associations of previous year family dinner with 1-year incidence of each of 3 outcomes: purging, binge eating, and frequent dieting. Compared to those who ate family dinner "never or some days," female adolescents who ate family dinner at least most days were less likely to initiate purging, binge eating, and frequent dieting. Estimates of association among males were similar in direction and magnitude, although lower frequency of the outcomes resulted in less precise estimates and fewer statistically significant results.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / psychology*
  • Age Factors
  • Body Mass Index
  • Bulimia / epidemiology*
  • Bulimia / psychology
  • Child
  • Diet, Reducing / psychology
  • Diet, Reducing / statistics & numerical data*
  • Family*
  • Feeding Behavior / psychology*
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Logistic Models
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Factors
  • Time Factors