Relationships between diet quality, food satisfaction and life satisfaction in mother-adolescent dyads

This study examined the relationships between diet quality, satisfaction with f ood-related life and life satisfaction in mother-adolescent dyads. The sample consisted of 470 mother-adolescent dyads in Temuco, Chile. Mothers and adolescents responded to the Adapted healthy Eating Index, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Satisfaction with Food-related Life scale. Data was analyzed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Diet quality was associated with satisfaction with food-related life, which related to life satisfaction in mothers and adolescents. We did not find direct relationships between diet quality and life satisfaction for either dyad member. Adolescents' diet quality negatively affected their mothers' satisfaction with food-related life; adolescents' food-related life was positively associated with their mothers' life satisfaction. The mothers' satisfaction with food-related life played a mediating role between their own diet quality and life satisfaction. Mothers and their adolescent children affect one another in their dietary patterns and life satisfaction. Child-to-mother influences on food-related experiences show that adolescents' satisfaction with food-related life improves their own and their mothers' life satisfaction. Interventions to promote healthy eating habits must he addressed to both mothers and their adolescent children.

Automated summary

This study explored the connections between diet quality, satisfaction with food-related life, and life satisfaction in mother-adolescent dyads. The findings showed that diet quality was linked to satisfaction with food-related life, which in turn influenced the life satisfaction of both mothers and adolescents. However, no direct relationship was found between diet quality and life satisfaction for either member of the dyad. The study also revealed that the adolescents' diet quality had a negative impact on their mothers' satisfaction with food-related life, while the adolescents' satisfaction with food-related life was positively associated with their mothers' life satisfaction. The mothers' satisfaction with food-related life played a mediating role between their own diet quality and life satisfaction. This suggests that mothers and their adolescent children influence each other's dietary patterns and life satisfaction. Moreover, the study highlighted the importance of interventions targeting both mothers and their adolescent children to promote healthy eating habits.