Effect of parental mental health status on adolescents' dietary behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore whether adolescents of substance-abusing and depressed parents were more likely to have poor dietary behaviors than those in the health comparison families.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 841 adolescents in families of substance-abusing parents, depressed parents, and parents without a diagnosable psychiatric disorder. All adolescents were given a food frequency questionnaire.


RESULTS
Adolescents whose parents had substance abuse disorder had lower intakes of fruits and higher intakes of high fat foods, and also ate more frequently at fast-food restaurants and purchased more snacks. Adolescents whose parents were depressed had lower intakes of all food groups. Mother's mental health status impacted more on adolescents' dietary behaviors than did the father's mental health status.


CONCLUSIONS
This research suggests that at-risk behaviors among youth of psychiatrically impaired parents may extend to food behaviors.
Su
L J
LJ
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, USA.
Story
M
M
Su
S S
SS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*