Psych Central News
Food Advertising on Commercial TV Linked to Junk Food
University of Michigan researchers compared households watching commercial-free digital TV or other media without food advertising, to those that watched television with commercials.
For the study, Kristen Harrison and Mericarmen Peralta interviewed over 100 parents about a wide variety of home and family characteristics, including child and parent media exposure and child dietary intake.
They conducted separate interviews with children in preschools to get a sense of what children thought made up a healthy meal.
The goal was to see how family characteristics were associated with children’s dietary intake and perceptions of healthy meals.
Using food security as a marker, Harrison found that the media-junk food link is very strong among food-secure people, and almost zero among food-insecure people.
Since food insecurity is associated with limited income, it sets limits on how much people can spend on junk food.
Food-secure people, on the other hand, can afford to give in to cravings when watching food advertising. People in this category were more likely to consume junk food, and their children had distorted views on what constitutes a healthy meal.
Prior research has shown an association between childhood TV and obesity. However, research is limited on the influence of television on preschool diets and healthy meals.
Until now, researchers have combined commercial TV with digitally recorded TV, prohibiting comparisons of media influence on diet. Harrison and Peralta’s research aimed to address these less-studied topics to get a better sense of what children are learning about eating before they begin to make their own food choices.
“Even though parents and other caregivers are the primary gatekeepers regarding young children’s food intake, children are still learning about food as it relates to health from family, media, and other sources, and may use this knowledge later on to inform their decisions when parents or other adults aren’t there to supervise them,” Harrison said.
“The preschool years are especially important, because the adiposity rebound in kids who grow up to be normal weight tends to be around age 5 or 6, whereas for kids to grow up to be obese, it happens closer to 3.
“We need to know as much as we can about the factors that encourage obesogenic eating during the preschool years, even if that eating doesn’t manifest as obesity until the child is older.”
Source: International Communication Association
Mice Study Suggests Health Effects from Obesity May Extend to Next Generation
Investigators discovered the offspring of obese mothers may be spared health problems linked to obesity, while their own children then inherit them.
This finding is startling as health professionals and policymakers currently focus attention on obesity in the general population, including the emergence of obesity among children.
The University of Edinburgh study has shown that moderately obese mothers can make an impact on the birth weight and diabetes risk of grandchildren, in the apparent absence of effects in their own children.
Experts say that rates of obesity are at an all-time high. Among the associated health problems are breast and colon cancer and stroke. Moderate obesity is a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 30 and 34.9.
Scientists studied moderately obese female mice fed on a diet high in fat and sugar before and during pregnancy. The mice were found to pass on the risks of obesity to the second generation of offspring, while virtually no ill effects were seen in the first generation.
Reasons why the first generation is apparently protected are not fully understood. Researchers suggest that reasons could include differences in maternal weight gain during pregnancy or specific food eaten during pregnancy.
They add that studying effects of this kind – referred to as developmental programming – in humans could be challenging but possible.
Dr. Amanda Drake, Senior Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Given the worldwide increase in obesity, it is vital that we gain an understanding of how future generations may be affected.
“Future studies could look at these trends in humans but they would need to take into account genetics, environmental, social and cultural factors.”
Source: University of Edinburgh
World of Psychology
Best of Our Blogs: June 7, 2013
One of the greatest negative contributors to your health and well-being isn’t just illness, it’s stress. Unfortunately, stress is a household name these days. Everyone seems to be experiencing it on different levels. We’re worried about the future of the world as much as we’re concerned about the future of our children. But no matter what we’re going through, all problems lead to the same basic solutions.
We can accept what’s given and find ways to control what we can. Sometimes this means focusing on what’s working in our lives and practicing gratitude. It could also mean being more mindful of our diet, how we parent or on how our past affects our present life. As you’ll read below, we do have more control over our lives than we think. It’s all about figuring out what we can change, doing away with perfection, and learning how to be more balanced.
{Flickr photo by bottled_void}
Psychiatrists Say Nutrition Is Key To Mood
(Therapy Soup) – Research shows you are what you eat. In fact, a poor diet could lead to both physical and mental illness and contribute to mood disorders like depression. Read more here.
“Self-Esteem” and Other Misleading Concepts
(The Impact of Sex Addiction) – There are a number of factors that can complicate sex addiction treatment. In this post, Dr. Linda Hatch addresses one of them-the negative impact of confusing and misleading psychological concepts.
One Minute to Stress-Less with the Wall of Gratitude
(Mindfulness & Psychotherapy) – What you spend the most time on grows. For this reason, focusing on what you have to be grateful for can lead to more happiness and well-being. Go here to find out how you can reduce stress and feel better now.
Study: Stress With Dad and Attachment With Mom Shape Adult Relationships
(Inside Out) – How much does your present have to do with your past? A lot, according to this. Learn why your relationship with mom and dad as a child influences who you are today.
Mindful Parenting: A Practice I Will Never Perfect
(Mindful Parenting) – Is it possible to perfect mindful parenting? One mother shares how she’s doing a year into her mindfulness practice.
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