A new study that shows a strong link in dietary habits between generations could have valuable benefits for community health.
The study, led by Emeritus Professor Mark Wahlqvist from Monash University’s Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine and the Monash Asia Institute, examined national health and nutrition information for more than 2,400 students from 6-13 years and nearly 1,800 elderly relatives in Taiwan
The study assessed the relationship between the quality of the childrens’ diets and that of their elders in a wide range of representative communities, generating findings that have international relevance.
“The children who scored highest on dietary quality showed a correlation with high dietary scores among their respective elders,” Professor Wahlqvist said.
“Factors such as the level of household income and parental education and the amount of time children spend watching television were all found to be significant determinants of dietary quality in children,” Professor Wahlqvist said.
When the overall findings were adjusted for these aspects, the quality of elders’ diets was still significantly associated with that of young people’s.
The researchers believe grandparents may be even more likely than parents to influence food habits.
“It is likely that the grandparent generation is transmitting what the cultural group has acquired over several generations, modulated by their children and grandchildren,” Professor Wahlqvist said.
The research also raised the possibility that the association works both ways, with children’s familiarity with information technology, for example, boosting their influence over their elders.
Given the links between diet and health issues such as obesity and longevity, the intergenerational associations are very relevant, Professor Wahlqvist said.
“Our findings suggest that a decline in nutritional capacity in communities, represented by intergenerational transfer of food patterns, may place community health at risk. At the same time, the observations suggest that intervening with healthy eating measures in one generation may benefit other generations as well.”
The study was published in the Ecology of Food and Nutrition journal in December.
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