Adolescents’ eating behaviors and its relationship with family meals, body mass index and body weight perception

Introduction: healthy diet is important because it affects wellbeing and health, and can reduce the risk of developing diseases or illnesses. Objectives: this study aimed to analyze the relationship of eating behaviors with family meals, body mass index and body weight perception on adolescents. Methods: data from 3,693 (1,723 boys) adolescents aged 14-17 years were collected. Adolescents were classified as realistic positive, realistic negative, overestimators, and underestimators, according to their eating habits and eating practices. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the data. Results: having breakfast with family several times a week (OR = 1.42, p < 0.001) or everyday (OR = 1.64, p < 0.001), and having normal weight (OR = 1.74, p < 0.001) were associated with being realistic positive. On the contrary, realistic negatives were less likely to have breakfast with family several times a week (OR = 0.57, p < 0.001) or everyday (OR = 0.48, p < 0.001), and have normal weight (OR = 0.40, p < 0.001). Conclusion: adolescents’ eating behaviors are related to family meals, and body weight perception. Eating breakfast with family and having normal weight are positive factors in adolescents’ awareness of good eating behaviors.publishersversionpublishe