Representations of Eating Habits: Differences between pre-adolescents and their parents

Abstract

In order to differentiate representations about the eating habits of preadolescents and their parents, a mixed- method study was conducted, involving 248 pairs of pre-adolescents and their parents. The Questionnaire on Physical Activity and Food intake Habits was used to collect the data, which includes an open response questionnaire regarding the representations of eating habits, a quantitative food consumption questionnaire and a dichotomous question about the representation of their food practices. Content analysis of the representations of eating habits of the preadolescents and the parents was carried out. From the emerged categories, chi-squared analyzes were performed to differentiate the representations of preadolescents and their parents regarding food consumption practices and representations of whether they have a good diet. Representations of preadolescents and their parents were similar when referring to eating habits as good nutrition, related to health and traditions. Both scored in a deficient consumption of healthy foods and exceeded the consumption of junk foods, however, more parents referred it than children. Finally, most of them represent their diet as good. The representations of eating habits are given by the culture, which highlights that interventions must be directed to these more than to the knowledge of how health works.