Food choices coping strategies of eating disorder patients´ parents: what happens when both mother and father work?

Abstract

Objective: Recently, it has been reported that food choices of relatives of eating disorder (ED) patients are not adequate having in mind a healthy model of eating habits. The aim of this study was to analyse how work conditions relate to parents' food choice coping strategies in both families with a member suffering from an ED and families with no sick members. In addition, the differences in those strategies between the two types of working parents were studied. Methods: A total of 80 employed fathers (n = 27) and mothers (n = 53) of patients with an ED (n = 50) and healthy offsprings (n = 30) were interviewed. The mean age was 43.57 ± 5.69 and they had moderate incomes. Food choice coping strategies, used by working parents to integrate work and family demands, were measured by means of 22 items included in five categories. Results: Considering the food choice coping strategies, ED patients' relatives show better skills than relatives of healthy offsprings do. The fact of preparing more meals at home and less fast food as main meal are good examples of those better strategies as well as to miss less number of breakfasts and lunches because of work-family conflict, grabbing less frequently and overeat less after missing a meal. Discussion: The therapeutic effort to improve the food choices of ED patients' relatives, especially when both father and mother work, are a key point to improve the eating habits of ED patients, thus contributing to a better outcome.

Keywords

• Elección de alimentos
• Estrategias de afrontamiento
• Conflicto familia-trabajo
• Sobrecarga familia-trabajo
• Trastornos alimentarios
• Educación nutricional