IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v63y2006i3p624-635.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Making sense of eating, weight and risk in the early teenage years: Views and concerns of parents in poorer socio-economic circumstances

Author

Listed:
  • Backett-Milburn, Kathryn C.
  • Wills, Wendy J.
  • Gregory, Susan
  • Lawton, Julia

Abstract

This paper reports findings from a qualitative study which examined the perceptions and understandings underpinning the dietary practices in families with 'normal' weight and 'overweight' young teenagers living in poorer socio-economic circumstances. Thirty four parents/main food providers of boys and girls aged 13-14 years from socio-economically disadvantaged areas in Eastern Scotland were interviewed. Within the home there was a strong acknowledgement of these early teenagers' own food preferences; parents also saw them as having increasing responsibility for their own food choices outwith the home but these were often described as 'not healthy' choices. However, parents saw dietary issues as of fairly low priority in the hierarchy of health-relevant and other risks facing their teenagers. Equally, these interviewees felt that issues around body shape and size at this age were less potentially problematic than the risks to teenagers' mental or physical health of their becoming obsessed with weight loss. Parents often made sense of their teenager's body size and shape in terms of the variety of body types in families and inherited traits. Interviewees seemed to lack a discourse to understand weight and overweight in this age group, falling back on understandings derived from the adult lifestage.

Suggested Citation

  • Backett-Milburn, Kathryn C. & Wills, Wendy J. & Gregory, Susan & Lawton, Julia, 2006. "Making sense of eating, weight and risk in the early teenage years: Views and concerns of parents in poorer socio-economic circumstances," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 624-635, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:63:y:2006:i:3:p:624-635
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277-9536(06)00092-X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Backett, Kathryn C. & Davison, Charlie, 1995. "Lifecourse and lifestyle: The social and cultural location of health behaviours," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 40(5), pages 629-638, March.
    2. Christensen, Pia, 2004. "The health-promoting family: a conceptual framework for future research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(2), pages 377-387, July.
    3. Wills, Wendy & Backett-Milburn, Kathryn & Gregory, Susan & Lawton, Julia, 2006. "Young teenagers' perceptions of their own and others' bodies: A qualitative study of obese, overweight and 'normal' weight young people in Scotland," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(2), pages 396-406, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Fielding-Singh, Priya & Wang, Jennifer, 2017. "Table talk: How mothers and adolescents across socioeconomic status discuss food," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 49-57.
    2. Ariadne Beatrice Kapetanaki & Wendy J. Wills & Giada Danesi & Neil H. Spencer, 2019. "Socioeconomic Differences and the Potential Role of Tribes in Young People’s Food and Drink Purchasing Outside School at Lunchtime," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-15, July.
    3. Allen, Kerry, 2011. "Managing Prader-Willi syndrome in families: An embodied exploration," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(4), pages 460-468, February.
    4. Backett-Milburn, Kathryn C. & Wills, Wendy J. & Roberts, Mei-Li & Lawton, Julia, 2010. "Food, eating and taste: Parents' perspectives on the making of the middle class teenager," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(7), pages 1316-1323, October.
    5. Wendy Wills & Kathryn Backett-Milburn & Sue Gregory & Julia Lawton, 2008. "‘If the Food Looks Dodgy I Dinnae Eat It’: Teenagers’ Accounts of Food and Eating Practices in Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Families," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 13(1), pages 67-79, January.
    6. Daniel Terry & Kaye Ervin & Erin Soutter & Renata Spiller & Nicole Dalle Nogare & Andrew John Hamilton, 2016. "Do Not “Let Them Eat Cake”: Correlation of Food-Consumption Patterns among Rural Primary School Children from Welfare and Non-Welfare Households," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    7. Eli, Karin & Howell, Kyndal & Fisher, Philip A. & Nowicka, Paulina, 2016. "A question of balance: Explaining differences between parental and grandparental perspectives on preschoolers' feeding and physical activity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 28-35.
    8. Wendy J. Wills, 2012. "Using Spoken and Written Qualitative Methods to Explore Children's and Young People's Food and Eating Practices," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 17(3), pages 114-123, August.
    9. Wendy Wills & Giada Danesi & Ariadne Beatrice Kapetanaki & Laura Hamilton, 2019. "Socio-Economic Factors, the Food Environment and Lunchtime Food Purchasing by Young People at Secondary School," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-13, May.
    10. Santana, Paula & Santos, Rita & Nogueira, Helena, 2009. "The link between local environment and obesity: A multilevel analysis in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Portugal," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(4), pages 601-609, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ana Cristina Lindsay & Sherrie F. Wallington & Faith D. Lees & Mary L. Greaney, 2018. "Exploring How the Home Environment Influences Eating and Physical Activity Habits of Low-Income, Latino Children of Predominantly Immigrant Families: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-13, May.
    2. Miller, Mahala & Swartz, Teresa Toguchi, 2024. "“Getting Moving” and Being “Active Fit”: Class Differences and Similarities in Health-promoting Parenting through Children's Organized Athletic Activities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 347(C).
    3. Sylvester Tenkorang & Cosmos Osei Okyere, 2022. "Factors Influencing Body Image Perception of University Students in Ghana," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 27(1), pages 492-501, January.
    4. Mielck, Andreas, 1998. "Perception of health inequalities in different social classes, by health professionals and health policy makers in Germany and the United Kingdom," Discussion Papers, Research Group Public Health P 98-202, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    5. Fekadu Aga & Merja Nikkonen & Jari Kylmä, 2014. "Caregiving actions: Outgrowths of the family caregiver's conceptions of care," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(2), pages 149-156, June.
    6. Cayetana Ruiz-Zaldibar & Inmaculada Serrano-Monzó & Olga Lopez-Dicastillo & María Jesús Pumar-Méndez & Andrea Iriarte & Elena Bermejo-Martins & Agurtzane Mujika, 2021. "Parental Self-Efficacy to Promote Children’s Healthy Lifestyles: A Pilot and Feasibility Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-17, April.
    7. Mykota, David B., 2008. "Implementing paraprofessional strength-based early intervention home visitations," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 266-276, August.
    8. Backett-Milburn, Kathryn C. & Wills, Wendy J. & Roberts, Mei-Li & Lawton, Julia, 2010. "Food, eating and taste: Parents' perspectives on the making of the middle class teenager," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(7), pages 1316-1323, October.
    9. Sanghamitra Pati & Abhinav Sinha & Shishirendu Ghosal & Sushmita Kerketta & John Tayu Lee & Srikanta Kanungo, 2022. "Family-Level Multimorbidity among Older Adults in India: Looking through a Syndemic Lens," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-13, August.
    10. Barlösius, Eva & Philipps, Axel, 2015. "Felt stigma and obesity: Introducing the generalized other," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 9-15.
    11. Wei-Jie Gong & Bonny Yee-Man Wong & Sai-Yin Ho & Agnes Yuen-Kwan Lai & Sheng-Zhi Zhao & Man-Ping Wang & Tai-Hing Lam, 2021. "Family E-Chat Group Use Was Associated with Family Wellbeing and Personal Happiness in Hong Kong Adults amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-13, August.
    12. King, Kathryn M. & Thomlinson, Elizabeth & Sanguins, Julianne & LeBlanc, Pamela, 2006. "Men and women managing coronary artery disease risk: Urban-rural contrasts," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(5), pages 1091-1102, March.
    13. Lewis, Sophie & Thomas, Samantha L. & Blood, R. Warwick & Castle, David J. & Hyde, Jim & Komesaroff, Paul A., 2011. "How do obese individuals perceive and respond to the different types of obesity stigma that they encounter in their daily lives? A qualitative study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(9), pages 1349-1356.
    14. Johnson, Blair T. & Acabchuk, Rebecca L., 2018. "What are the keys to a longer, happier life? Answers from five decades of health psychology research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 218-226.
    15. Glòria Tort-Nasarre & Mercè Pollina Pocallet & Eva Artigues-Barberà, 2021. "The Meaning and Factors That Influence the Concept of Body Image: Systematic Review and Meta-Ethnography from the Perspectives of Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-16, January.
    16. Josefina Nuñez Sahr & Angela M. Parcesepe & William You & Denis Nash & Kate Penrose & Milton Leonard Wainberg & Subha Balasubramanian & Bai Xi Jasmine Chan & Rachael Piltch-Loeb, 2024. "Exploring COVID-19 Vaccine Decision Making: Insights from ‘One-Shot Wonders’ and ‘Booster Enthusiasts’," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(8), pages 1-17, August.
    17. Claire Perrin & Christine Ferron & René Gueguen & Jean-Pierre Deschamps, 2002. "Lifestyle patterns concerning sports and physical activity, and perceptions of health," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 47(3), pages 162-171, September.
    18. Jing Tian & Seana Gall & George Patton & Terry Dwyer & Alison Venn, 2017. "Partnering and parenting transitions associate with changing smoking status: a cohort study in young Australians," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 62(8), pages 889-897, November.
    19. Yi-Ching Lin & Jennifer Wu & Shu-Ti Chiou & Tung-liang Chiang, 2015. "Healthy living practices in families and child health in Taiwan," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 60(6), pages 691-698, September.
    20. Onyango-Ouma, W. & Aagaard-Hansen, J. & Jensen, B.B., 2005. "The potential of schoolchildren as health change agents in rural western Kenya," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(8), pages 1711-1722, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:63:y:2006:i:3:p:624-635. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.