Discuss the influence of family on dietary behaviors and intake

Family members are the most influential persons in determining our dietary behaviors and our intake. This is evident as a direct influence in terms of sharing meals together. And it is evident as an indirect influence based on what is brought home from the grocery store or ordered over the phone for dinner. All family members likely have an influence on our dietary behaviors, though most of this research has focused on mothers. This is not surprising given that mothers, in most families, have the longest and most impactful influence on dietary behaviors. As a result, mothers are often the target of interventions to improve dietary behaviors within a family. Davison and Campbell (2005 ) created a model showing how the parents' dietary behaviors contributed to the development of their children's food preferences, dietary behaviors, and ultimately their risk for obesity. Specifically, parents who are overweight, who have problems controlling what they eat, or who are concerned about their child's intake will engage in controlling feeding behaviors, which in turn is associated with unhealthier dietary behaviors and greater risk for obesity. Finally, family support is important for healthy eating. Researchers have consistently found a relationship between family support and healthy eating, with a potentially more pronounced relationship among men than among women.?