If You Are Good You Can Have a Cookie: How Memories of Childhood Food Rules Link to Adult Eating Behaviors

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether memories of parental rules about food during childhood are linked to adult eating behaviors.

Method: An adult community sample (N=122) (56% female, 44% male) with a mean age of 44.6 years completed self-report measures of weight and dieting history, current eating patterns, and recollection of different types of rules about food from their parents. Three types of food rules were assessed: (a) rules which restrict intake of certain foods, (b) rules which encourage food intake, and (c) rules where food is used to reward or punish behavior.

Results: Binge eating and dietary restraint in adulthood are significantly related to participants' recollection of their parents using food to control their behavior in childhood. These results held true regardless of body mass index (BMI), ethnicity, age, or childhood weight status.

Discussion: This study suggests that some childhood food rules may have a long-lasting impact on eating behaviors. Further research on the impact of using food to reward and punish children's behavior is needed to inform recommendations to parents regarding the use of food for behavioral control.