The quality of general family functioning is a major determinant of healthy dietary habits – according to new research led byQueen Mary University of London. The East London Family (ELF) Study found that a mother’s perception of effective general family functioning has a significant effect on limiting the intake of sugary foods and drinks by their three and four year old children. In contrast, less effective family functioning leads to high frequency intake of sugary foods and drinks by three and four year old children in the family.

“Effective family functioning’”was defined as a family which is able to manage daily life and resolve problems in the context of warm and affective family interactions, through clear communication, well-defined roles and flexible behaviour control. Professor Wagner Marcenes, who led the study at Queen Mary University of London, explains: “Our research adopted a broad definition of ‘family’ and we included single parents, and those who are divorced, co-habiting, and same sex family types.”

The report shows that children from more functional families were 67% less likely to consume more than four intakes of sugary foods and drinks a day, compared with children from less functional families. “Effective family functioning is a safeguard against the well-known negative impact of lower levels of education in relation to sugar consumption,” Marcenes continued. “A significant number of children whose mothers had a lower level of qualification but whose family functioning was effective were more likely to consume less than four intakes of sugary foods compared with their counterparts whose family functioning was impaired.”

The research involved 1,174 children aged three and four years, and their parents, and aimed to investigate the importance of family functioning for health. The ELF study is a major two generation family study involving more than 50 researchers. It is believed to be the first study which demonstrates that high sugar consumption is related to poor family functioning.

The report demonstrated that effective family functioning led to a healthy diet even among those with lower education, living in a deprived area and experiencing financial challenges. Marcenes explains: “We live in a very materialistic world but material resources alone cannot fulfil us. We also need to meet our psychological needs. A functional family is a major source of pleasure in life, providing comfort and reward. In contrast, dysfunctional families are a major source of frustration and stress – and this can lead to high sugar consumption in the search for the ‘feel-good’ effect.”

Dr Sucharita Nanjappa, University of Dundee, who co-authored this report and was involved in many different aspects of the ELF study says: “This study gathered information on the whole family’s day to day experiences. This has the potential to lead to interventions that are based on identifying, encouraging and developing the family’s own positive resources to help improve the health of its members – through the acquisition of healthy lifestyle.”

These findings have major implications for population health. Eating too much sugar is linked to a long list of negative health effects, including diabetes, heart disease, obesity and tooth decay. Recently, a committee of scientists has advised the World Health Organisation (WHO) and governments that no more than 5% of daily calories should come from added sugar (about seven teaspoons). This is far less than the current average intake of sugar worldwide.

Marcenes concludes: “Public health needs to move beyond the naïve belief that health education based on risk awareness raising programmes alone will lead to behavioural change across the population. If this were the case, doctors and nurses would not smoke, drink above the limit and eat sweets.

“It is crucial to understand why we crave for sugar and to identify factors that help people to deal with sugar craving. We need to focus on the wider determinants of health behaviour and lifestyle, such as socio-psychological factors.”

Abstract
Frequent consumption of sugary foods is a common risk factor for chronic diseases such as dental caries and obesity. Dietary patterns are acquired at home during early life and form a blueprint for dietary behaviours in later life. A favourable family environment can provide a supportive context that enhances the adoption of healthy dietary habits. The aim of this study was to identify the contribution of general family functioning towards the frequent consumption of sugary foods by 3- and 4-year-old children in Outer North East London. The research question was explored with data from the East London Family study, which collected data through home visits from a representative sample of adults and children living in Outer North East London in 2008-2010. This study analysed data from 3- and 4-year-old children (n = 698) and their mothers and included logistic regression, conceptual hierarchical modelling and mediation analysis. The results showed that 17% of the sample consumed sugary foods more than 4 times per day, and that effective general family functioning may help reducing frequent consumption of sugary foods. There was a 67% reduction in children’s frequent consumption of sugary foods with every unit increase in the general family functioning score. Mother’s higher education may also help reduce the frequent consumption of sugary foods by children. The negative impact of mother’s lower education was buffered by the effect of effective general family functioning. The study findings underscore the prospect of identifying factors that contribute to the acquisition of good dietary behaviours.

FROM: http://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/healthy-diet-stems-from-good-family-functioning/