extra reading for lecture 6 Flashcards
Parental influences on children’s eating behaviour and characteristics of successful parent-focussed interventions
mitchell et al., This text discusses the prevalence of non-clinical feeding problems in children, highlighting the psychological and nutritional risks they pose. Currently, parents receive limited support and education on why these issues arise and how to encourage a healthy diet, leaving a gap in preventive care. Education on feeding practices often comes too late, suggesting that integrating feeding education into prenatal care could help parents manage feeding problems proactively, benefiting both children’s nutrition and emotional health.
Several educational interventions, such as leaflets, group programs, and commercial resources, have shown promise but are limited by parent engagement and lack social support. Social networking and mobile apps are seen as potential tools to improve accessibility and interaction, although challenges in monitoring these resources remain. Technology-based solutions, including mobile apps and baby feeding simulators, offer hands-on learning that could be beneficial but require further research to validate their effectiveness.
In summary, timely, interactive, and accessible education—possibly through technology—could improve parental understanding, reduce feeding problems, and enhance children’s well-being.
The impact of active or passive food preparation versus distraction on eating behaviour: An experimental study
Ogden et al., 2021-The present experimental study aimed to explore the impact of attention to food cues through either active or passive food preparation, versus attention away from food cues through a non-food distraction task on eating behaviour using a preload/taste test design. Female participants (n = 80) were randomly allocated to one of four conditions: active food preparation (making a wrap); passive video preparation (watching video of researcher making a wrap); distraction (a non-food colouring task); no time control. Measures of desire to eat (hunger, fullness, motivation) were taken before and after the interventions. Food intake was measured in terms of mass of wrap consumed and snacks consumed at a subsequent taste test. The results showed greater wrap consumption for active and passive food preparation and the control groups compared to the distraction intervention. Further, the results showed that active food preparation resulted in increased hunger and motivation to eat and that passive food preparation resulted in increased motivation to eat. No changes were found following distraction. To conclude, attention to food cues through both active and passive food preparation can increase both food intake and the desire to eat
attention vs distraction-
Factors that influence the perception of hunger are varied including language, social interaction, emotional eating, the role of place and timing (eg. Ogden, 2018). One mechanism which transcends many of these different factors is attention with research highlighting how attention versus distraction can influence what and how much food is consumed (Higgs, 2005, 2008; Robinson et al., 2013)
Cornell et al. (1989) found that overeating beyond the point of satiety occurs when exposed to both seeing and smelling food, and Loxton et al. (2011) indicated that exposure to attractive food cues increased individuals’ desire to eat. In addition, Oakes and Slotterback (2000) found that individuals’ desire to eat was increased by merely reading a list of foods and commenting on their nutritional values.
