Correlation between mothers weight – teasing and daughters binge eating and BMI

Objectives. There is debate in studies that comments directed to a child, such as weight-teasing by mothers or mothers encouragement to diet, may be more harmful than indirect factors, such as observing a mother dieting. The aim of the study is to assess associations between weight - teasing from mother and daughters weight status and binge eating.
Materials and methods. A quantitative cross-sectional study in the population of
adolescent girls from Latvia high schools was made in September – November 2021. The study population included 676 adolescent girls in 10th–12th grade. Mother weight-teasing was assessed: “Have you been teased/made fun by mother because of your weight?”. Daughters binge eating was assessed: Have you had a sense of having lost control over your eating? Daughters weight rating was assessed by body mass index (BMI) - was calculated based on participants self-reported height and weight scores. Data was analyzed using SPSS: Pearsons correlation.
Results. In the study participated 676 adolescent girls, mean age of 17.2(SD+/-1.4) years. The objective measurements of body weight showed that mean BMI was 21.9 (SD = +/- 3.4). 175(25.9%) daughters reported weight-teasing by mother. 480(71%) daughters reported that they having lost control over eating. Statistically significant, positive, weak correlations were found between daughters who reported being teased by mother because of their weight and higher BMI values (r=0.230, p<0.001, n=676). Statistically significant, positive, weak correlations were found between daughters who reported being teased by mother because of their weight and that they having lost control over eating (r=0.165, p<0.001, n=676). Statistically significant, positive, weak correlations were found between daughters having lost control over eating and higher BMI values (r=0.143, p<0.001, n=676).
Conclusions. Mothers weight-teasing may contribute binge eating in daughters and higher BMI.