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- Neuman, Nicklas, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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Children's experiences of meals after obesity treatment : a qualitative follow-up four years after a randomized controlled trial
- 2022
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In: BMC Pediatrics. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1471-2431. ; 22:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The practice of eating together, commensality, is rarely explored in the context of childhood obesity treatment. This is noteworthy given long-standing debates about the physical, psychosocial, and societal benefits of meals, especially family meals. Moreover, as children with obesity experience weight bias and stigma both within and outside the home, it is important to examine meals as a locus of social exchange around food and the body. Our study is based on the premises that eating together (i) matters and (ii) occurs in different environments with diverse social organization, where food-related interactions create varying arrangements of individuals, groups, their statuses, and their actions.Method: The study explores children’s experiences of meals in different social contexts. Thirty-two children (age 8–10 years) living in Sweden were interviewed, 4 years after they entered an obesity intervention trial. Thematic analysis was applied to the data.Results: We thematized three meal types, with each meal type having two subthemes: (i) “The family meal”, with “Shared routines, rituals, and rules” and “Individual solutions and choices”; (ii) “The school meal”, with “Rules and norms of the school” and “Strategies of the child”; and (iii) “The friend meal”, with “Handling food that was disliked” and “Enjoyment of food”. These three different meal types carried different experiences of and knowledge about how they were socially organized.Conclusions: While the children spoke about the family and school meals as meaningful, the friend meal stood out as particularly positive. Contrary to our expectations, the children did not express experiences of weight bias or obesity stigma around meals, nor did they speak negatively about parental control of their food intake. Our findings, especially regarding the friend meal, have implications for further research into commensality and social influences on eating among children with obesity, from early childhood into adolescence.
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| 2. |
- Nowicka, Paulina, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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How Do Interpersonal Relationships Affect Children's Weight Management? : A Qualitative Analysis of Parents' Long-Term Perceptions after Obesity Treatment
- 2022
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In: Childhood Obesity. - : Mary Ann Liebert. - 2153-2168 .- 2153-2176. ; 18:4, s. 274-280
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Childhood obesity interventions are particularly effective during the preschool age, but little is known about parents' long-term perceptions of weight management. This study explores how parents perceive the influence of interpersonal relationships on their children's eating and physical activity 4 years after participating in a randomized controlled trial. Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory frames this study, with the child's environment conceptualized as interlocking microsystems that affect weight management.Methods: Interviews were conducted with 33 parents (85% mothers, 48% with university degree) of 33 children [mean age 9.3 (standard deviation 0.7), 46% girls] from Stockholm, Sweden. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, focusing on parents' perceptions of interpersonal relationships: family, relatives, other children, preschool/school staff, and health care practitioners.Results: Two main themes were developed: (1) Discouragement, with the subthemes Conflicting rules and Social comparison, and (2) Support and understanding, with the subthemes Teamwork and Shared responsibility and continuity of care. Parents perceived children's weight management as a continuous orchestration of different influences across social spheres. Years after obesity treatment, parents struggled to maintain the child's healthy routines outside the home. However, when siblings, grandparents, teachers, and friends' parents acted supportively, routines were easier to maintain.Conclusions: The findings suggest that each microsystem in a child's environment has important influence on weight management, such that, as children grow older, children's lifestyles cannot be managed by parents alone. To facilitate weight management, more people in the child's environment should be involved early in the treatment process, and continued professional support should be offered to parents.
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| 3. |
- Zorell, Carolin, et al.
(author)
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Diffusion of Eating Behavior in Different Social Networks : A study protocol and preliminary reflections from a randomized controlled trial
- 2022
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Background: A variety of public, governmental initiatives inform citizens about what is considered ‘healthy’, ‘climate friendly’, and in general ‘sustainable’ food. The ambition is to influence individual food choices. However, research suggests that, rather than public authorities, people are more likely to affect each other’s behaviour through social influence. The degree of influence though seems to depend on how people are connected and how similar they are to each other. To better understand the various dynamics occurring within social networks, researchers have experimented with controlled networks, manipulating factors like the number or kinds of ties. This increases the chances of identifying causality, yet also affects the external validity of the results since the design is very artificial. The present study tries to reduce artificiality by studying real-life behaviour and behaviour change, while including controlled treatments. The aim is to compare if and how behavioural change spreads more in groups exposed to different social network conditions and different source-types of information about food.Method: The paper outlines a study protocol from a 4-month randomized controlled trial conducted with a random selection of adults living in Sweden from mid-October 2022 to early-February 2023. The trial was registered and reviewed by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority under ref. no. 2022-02646-01 (June 9, 2022). Using a mobile phone application, the study investigates if and how real-life, self-reported intakes of plant- and animal-based foods diffuse under certain social network conditions. The trial included two treatment groups and one control group exposed to (1) different social network conditions (with or without informational exposure), and (2) to different source-types of information about food (factual versus social).Discussion: By investigating the roles of both social diffusion processes and certain structural conditions provided by public actors for sustainable consumption, the results contribute to discussions of how and by whom effective and efficient measures could be implemented to transform food habits.
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| 4. |
- Zorell, Carolin, et al.
(author)
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Diffusion of eating behaviour in different social networks : A randomized controlled trial
- 2022
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In: Policy diffusion for sustainability through local governments and institutions.
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- A variety of public, governmental initiatives inform citizens about what is considered ‘healthy’, ‘climate friendly’, and in general ‘sustainable’ food. The ambition is to influence individual food choices. However, research also suggests that, rather than public authorities, people are more likely to influence each other’s behaviour. Yet, the degree of influence seems to depend on how people are connected and how similar they are to each other. To better understand the various dynamics occurring within social networks, researchers have experimented with controlled networks, manipulating factors like the number or kinds of ties. This increases the chances of identifying causality, yet also affects the external validity of the results since the design is very artificial. The paper outlines a 4-month randomized controlled trial that tries to minimise artificiality by studying real-life behaviour, while including controlled treatments. Specifically, using a mobile application, we will study if and how real-life, self-reported intakes of plant- and animal-based foods diffuse under certain social network conditions. The participants are randomly assigned to distinct networks, each exposed to different signals. One aim is to compare whether behavioural change spreads more (if at all) in groups exposed to (1) different social network conditions (interaction possibilities by sharing pictures, likings, and comments) and (2) different source-types of information about food (fact-based versus social group-based). By investigating the roles of both social diffusion processes and certain structural conditions provided by public actors for sustainable consumption, the results contribute to discussions of how and by whom effective and efficient measures could be implemented to ease and foster sustainable consumption.
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