Mediating role of parenting behaviors on the association between eating and behavioral habits on Italian teen emotional stability

Background:A number of studies have shown the effects of healthy eating behaviors on emotional and behavioral stability among adolescents. This study investigated the potential moderating role of parental support between the relationship of eating behaviors and two indicators of behavioral and emotional stability: aggression and deviance. This study hypothesized that more supportive parenting behaviors would moderate the association between poor eating habits and greater indications of behavioral and emotional stability.

Methods: The sample consisted of 302 Italian high school adolescents (48% female), ages 15-19 years (mean age = 17.4 (S.D. = 1.4)), living in the northwest of Italy. The participants were representative of the population of adolescents attending high school in this part of Italy. Linear regressions were used to explore the associations of among parental support, eating habits and two distinct dependent variables:  aggression, deviance. Age, gender were used as covariates in the analysis.

Results: Results indicated that poor eating habits were associated with greater indications of deviance (β = -.129, p < 0.001) No assocations were found with aggression.  In addition, parental support was found to moderate the association between eating habits and aggression (β = -.163, p < 0.04).

Conclusions: This study indicated the potential importance of healthy eating habits on adolescent behavioral and emotional stability among a sample of Mediteranean adloscents. Additionally, supportive parenting was shown to modify the association between a lifestyle behavior and psychosocial indicators of stability. Potential implications for prevention will be discussed.