News

Parental attachment insecurity predicts child and adult high-caloric food consumption

Published: 3 July 2015

Authors: Faber, A., Dubé, L.

Publication: Journal of Health Psychology

Abstract:

Eating habits are established early and are difficult to change once formed. This study investigated the role of caregiver-child attachment quality and its associations with high-caloric food consumption in a sample of middle socio-economic status children and adults, respectively. Survey data were collected from an online questionnaire administered separately to 213 (143 girls) children and 216 parents (adult sample; 180 women). Two studies showed that an insecure parental attachment, whether actual (Study 1; children) or recalled (Study 2; adults), significantly and positively predicted high-caloric food consumption in both samples. The present findings highlight the importance of parental attachment and its association with unhealthy eating patterns in children and adults.

Read full article: Journal of Health Psychology, May 9, 2015.

Back to top