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Adolescence is a vulnerable time for the development of obesity, likely because of poor diet, decreased physical activity, and increased stress during this sensitive developmental period (Jasik & Lustig, 2008). [...], Introduction: Stress has been consistently related to obesity-promoting eating patterns (i.e., emotional, external, and restrained eating) throughout the life span, including during adolescence. One particularly salient source of stress within adolescence is parent-adolescent conflict. The current study sought to examine whether parent-adolescent conflict is a significant predictor of adolescent obesity-promoting eating patterns, beyond general adolescent stress. Methods: A sample of adolescents (N = 51; 39.2% overweight or obese) completed a study examining stress and eating behaviors. As part of the larger study, adolescents completed measures related to parent-adolescent conflict, general adolescent stress, and obesity-promoting eating patterns. Adolescent height and weight were measured objectively and used to calculate adolescent body mass index (BMI) percentile for age and gender. Results: General adolescent stress predicted all three obesity-promoting eating patterns, emotional, external, and restrained eating, controlling for adolescent BMI percentile. Higher levels of parent-adolescent conflict significantly predicted greater restrained eating, controlling for adolescent BMI percentile and general adolescent stress. Conflict did not predict emotional or external eating patterns. Discussion: Adolescents' perceptions of parent-adolescent conflict appear to present a unique source of stress, above and beyond general perceived stress, that is, particularly relevant to the experience of restrained eating patterns. These findings provide support for the potential integration of assessment and intervention for parent-adolescent conflict within previously established behavioral weight control interventions to decrease restrained eating behaviors. Keywords: pediatric obesity, obesity-promoting eating patterns, family conflict, stress

Little is known about what factors influence a caregiver to use controlling feeding practices with adolescents. The present study examines potential predictors (e.g., parent and child eating, parent and child weight, and the home environment) of the use of controlling feeding practices among adolescents, an age group that has not received much attention. Parents (N = 54, M age = 43.63 years, SD = 6.42; 94.4% female) of adolescents ages 12-17 (N = 54, M age = 13.94 years, SD = 1.75; 43.6% female) completed measures assessing their child feeding practices, eating patterns and the home environment. Adolescents completed measures of their eating patterns. Regression analyses were used to determine the most salient predictors of controlling child feeding practices, specifically restriction of food intake and pressure to eat. After controlling for adolescent age, parental dietary restraint was significantly associated with restriction and accounted for 15.2% of the variance in the use of restriction, F (1, 51) = 10.4, p<.01. Adolescent emotional eating and income-to-needs ratio were significantly associated with use of pressure above and beyond adolescent age and accounted for 29.1% of the variance in the use of pressure, F (2, 48) = 10.2, p<.001. This study suggests that future research should include factors from different levels of influence, such as child, parent and home environment. As understanding of these influences grows, efforts can be made to target specific contributors within intervention settings to address potential adverse outcomes associated with controlling feeding practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although literature is mixed, some research suggests that food insecurity likely predicts obesity beginning in childhood. Child feeding practices may be one possible mechanism for this association. Parents of children ages 7-17 (n = 790) completed the USDA Core Food Security Module and the Child Feeding Questionnaire. Child BMI percentile was calculated using parent-reported child height and weight. Restrictive and controlling feeding practices each mediated the association between food insecurity and child BMI percentile, controlling for familial income and child age. Findings from this preliminary study suggest that feeding practices may be one mechanism through which food insecurity is related to obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to examine whether social support moderates the relationship between stress eating and body mass index (BMI) change over the freshman year in males and females. This longitudinal study included 70 college students (72.9% female; M age = 18.23) who completed self-reported measures of stress eating and perceived social support, with objective height and weight measurements collected. Among males, social support moderated the relationship between stress eating and BMI change. Among males, social support may serve as a buffer against the impact of stress eating on weight gain during the freshman year of college. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study sought to (1) examine perceived stress and resources to cope with stress as predictors of emotional eating during the transition to college and (2) determine whether body mass index (BMI) moderated the emotional eating-stress relationship.Participants: Participants were 97 college freshmen (73% female; BMI:M= 25.3 kg/m2,SD= 5.7 kg/m2). Research was conducted in September 2012.Methods: Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Emotional Eating Scale, and Eating and Appraisal Due to Emotions and Stress Questionnaire during the first month of college. Height and weight were measured objectively.Results: BMI moderated the relationship between perceived stress and emotional eating. Higher stress predicted greater emotional eating for the lower BMI groups, but not the highest group. Greater resources to cope with stress predicted lower emotional eating.Conclusions: Greater perceived stress and poorer resources to cope with stress may contribute to emotional eating during the transition to college. The relationship between perceived stress and emotional eating may vary by BMI. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Stress negatively impacts adolescent weight status and eating behaviors. Previous research investigating this association has focused on traumatic events in childhood, but little is known about the impact of commonly experienced stressful life events and weight-related outcome. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between negative life events and weight-related outcomes (i.e., weight status, disordered eating behaviors, insulin sensitivity) in a sample of treatment-seeking adolescents with overweight and obesity. A further aim of the study was to examine the potential mediating role of depression.Method: Adolescents (N = 170; M age = 14.8; 62% female) presenting to an interdisciplinary weight management program completed measures related to negative life events, disordered eating patterns, and depressive symptoms prior to initiating treatment. Weight status and insulin sensitivity (using fasting glucose and fasting insulin) were objectively measured.Results: Stressful experiences during childhood were significantly related to weight status, F = 2.78, p < .05, and disordered eating, F = 5.51, p < .001, in regression analyses. Stressful life events were not related to insulin sensitivity. Depressive symptoms mediated the association between stressful experiences and disordered eating (b = 0.001, [CI = 0.0002, 0.0011]). Depressive symptoms did not mediate this association for weight status or insulin sensitivity.Discussion: Findings from the present study suggest that relatively common stressful events may be associated with development of disordered eating patterns in adolescents with overweight or obesity presenting to treatment. Providers working in weight management settings should consider assessing a range of potentially stressful life events and their potential weight-related implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]