The influence of family weight talk on health and well-being from childhood to adulthood

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine whether exposure to family weight talk as a child was associated with a variety of health and well-being outcomes including weight, eating behaviors, unhealthy weight-control behaviors, self-esteem, body satisfaction, and psychosocial outcomes in adulthood.

Background

Prior research shows associations between parent weight talk and higher weight status and depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. Less is known about associations between family weight talk and health and well-being outcomes in children and whether these associations track into adulthood.

Method

Parents (n = 1,131) from families representing six racial or ethnic groups (African American, Hispanic, Hmong, Native American, Somali/Ethiopian, White) were recruited through primary care clinics in Minnesota in 2016–2019. Parents reported retrospectively on exposure to family weight talk as a child and current health and well-being via an online survey. Associations of interest were examined in regression models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

Retrospective reports of exposure to family weight talk as a child were significantly associated with higher weight status, engagement in unhealthy weight-control behaviors and binge eating, lower diet quality, lower self-esteem and body satisfaction, and higher depressive and anxious symptoms in adulthood.

Conclusions

Retrospective reports of exposure to family weight talk as a child tracked into adulthood and was associated with a variety of negative health and well-being outcomes.

Implications

Results suggest that researchers, clinicians, and family life educators may want to both assess and intervene on family weight talk to mitigate the long-term influence on health and well-being outcomes.