title: Parenting to prevent body dissatisfaction and unhealthy eating patterns in preschool children: a Delphi consensus study.
abstract: Interventions to prevent body dissatisfaction and unhealthy eating patterns are needed in early childhood. Identifying effective parenting strategies would be useful for parents and prevention researchers. To develop expert consensus, an online Delphi study was conducted with experts (N=28, Mage=44.34) who rated statements describing potential parenting strategies gleaned from a systematic literature search. If 90-100% rated a statement as either Essential or Important, it was endorsed as a guideline. From a total of 335 statements 153 were endorsed. Despite some areas of disagreement, including whether parents should weigh their child or discourage weighing, experts were able to reach consensus on a wide range of issues, such as how to discuss healthy eating with children. The developed guidelines provide a novel and required resource for parents, and a framework for researchers developing interventions to prevent the onset of body dissatisfaction and unhealthy eating patterns in early childhood.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science, Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: l.hart@latrobe.edu.au.
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science, Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephanie R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Damiano
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science, Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chittleborough
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science, Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Paxton
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Jorm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003697:Delphi Technique; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States
keywords: Body image; Children; Delphi; Disordered eating; Parents; Prevention