MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS AND DIETING - INVESTIGATING THE TRANSMISSION OF WEIGHT CONTROL

Objectives. Research by Pike & Rodin (1991) found higher levels of wei ght concern and dissatisfactions with family functioning in mothers of eating disordered adolescent girls. The present study sought to exten d this research by examining the maternal influences on weight and die ting concerns at a younger age. Design. A cross-sectional comparison o f high and low dietary restraint girls and their mothers was used. Met hods. Two groups of 20 Ii-year-old girls and their mothers completed a ssessments of dietary restraint, body shape preference, self-perceptio n, family functioning and body weight and height. Results. Mothers of high restraint girls did not differ from comparison mothers in their c urrent level of dieting, but did report more between-meal snacking and fasting. In addition, they rated their daughters' attractiveness sign ificantly lower than the other mothers. Furthermore, families with a h ighly restrained daughter scored significantly lower on perceived fami ly cohesion, organization and moral-religious emphasis. Conclusions, T he parallel with the findings of Pike & Rodin supports the role that m others may play in the transmission of cultural values regarding weigh t, shape and appearance. Importantly, it also places early dieting wit hin a wider context of dissatisfaction with family functioning.