Dietary Quality and Family Environment

Abstract

The relationship between family environment, as measured by the Family Environment Scale, and maternal dietary quality was examined, with nutritional locus of control scales used as explanatory variables in an attempt to understand how dietary quality and family environment might be linked, as had been noted in previous research. Within a sample of 106 young, married mothers a series of canonical correlation analyses indicated no significant relationships between our measure of dietary quality and family environment or locus of control. However, interesting relationships were observed between family environment and locus of control, as well as with satisfaction with family nutrition and nutritional values, suggesting avenues for research on linkages between family social environment and health practices, including maintenance of dietary quality at adequate or better levels.