Targeting and Measuring Family Processes That Influence Energy Balance-related Behaviours in School-based Obesity Prevention Interventions, 2015

There is need for more research investigating the impact and factors in the family and home environment regarding children and adolescents eating habits. Such factors may be parent-child communication, renting practices and parenting style. The objective with the survey was to develop a questionnaire for both the adolescents and the parents which can be used to identify variables. The questionnaires' reliability and validity were tested in a pilot study. The conceptual framework for the survey included psychosocial aspect like family function, cohesion, conflict, communication, job-family related stress, parenting practice and parenting style. As part of the physical home environment it was mapped out the availability of vegetables and sugar-rich beverages. Family meals was included as an indicator of the socio-cultural home environment. Induvidual characteristics, such as intake of vegetables and sugar-rich beverages, and adolescents impulsivity were also included. The questionnaire were tested in a re-test study in which 54 adolescents and 44 of their parents participated and in a cross-sectional survey including 440 adolescents, aged 13-15 yeasr, 242 of their mothers and 155 of their fathers. The samples are relatively representative for Norwegian adolescents and their parents. The conceptual framework developed may be a useful tool in mapping out the home food environment and the family processes related to adolescents' dietary habits. The results support the use of the questionnaire as a tool with satisfactory psychometric property to assess family characteristics and adolescent's impulsivity.