School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Blockley Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Department of Biological Sciences, Kean University, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07082, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Jul 9;16(13):2431. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16132431.
A 'generation' is an identifiable group sharing birth years and significant life events at critical developmental ages. There is a paucity of literature examining how parental cognitions and lifestyle behaviors differ by generation and whether generational differences are substantial enough to warrant consideration during the development of health interventions. This study compared generational differences in weight-related cognitions and lifestyle behaviors of mothers of young children who were categorized as Generation X (born 1965-1981, = 158) and Generation Y (aka Millennials; born 1982-1999, = 162). Survey results indicated that Generation X had significantly higher family affluence; thus, this was controlled in subsequent analyses. Analysis of covariance indicated that Millennials had more positive expectations about the benefits of engaging in healthy eating and physical activity than comparators, but not significantly so. Millennial mothers placed significantly higher value on physical activity for themselves than Generation X mothers, but both generations were neutral on the value of personal physical activity. No generational differences were noted in self-efficacy of mothers for promoting childhood obesity-prevention practices to children and self-efficacy for personally engaging in weight-protective behaviors. Millennial mothers had significantly more family meals/week, however generations did not differ on the value placed on family meals, where family meals were eaten, or whether media devices were used at mealtime. Few differences were noted between the generations for most child feeding behaviors, except that Millennials reported placing significantly less pressure on children to eat. Mothers' modeling of weight-related behaviors as a means for children's observational learning about healthy eating, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors did not differ by generational group. The eating behaviors of mothers differed little between generations. Millennial mothers allowed significantly more media devices in children's bedrooms and personally engaged in more screen time daily than comparators. Overall, the two generational groups were more similar than different in weight-related cognitions as well as for personal and parenting lifestyle behaviors. The results suggest that tailoring interventions for individuals at a similar life-stage (e.g., mothers of young children) by generation may not be warranted.
“一代人”是指具有相同出生年份和重要人生事件的可识别群体，这些事件发生在关键的发展时期。目前，关于父母认知和生活方式行为如何因代际而不同，以及这些代际差异是否大到足以在制定健康干预措施时需要考虑的文献很少。本研究比较了 X 世代（1965-1981 年出生，n=158）和 Y 世代（又称千禧一代；1982-1999 年出生，n=162）的年轻母亲在与体重相关的认知和生活方式行为方面的代际差异。调查结果表明，X 世代的家庭富裕程度明显较高；因此，在后续分析中对其进行了控制。协方差分析表明，千禧一代对参与健康饮食和体育活动的好处有更积极的期望，但差异不显著。千禧一代母亲比 X 世代母亲更重视自己的身体活动，但两代人对个人身体活动的价值都持中立态度。在促进儿童肥胖预防实践和个人参与体重保护行为方面，母亲的自我效能感方面，没有发现代际差异。千禧一代母亲每周有更多的家庭聚餐，但两代人在家庭聚餐的价值、家庭聚餐的地点或是否在用餐时使用媒体设备方面没有差异。除了千禧一代报告对孩子进食的压力明显较小外，两代人在大多数喂养行为方面差异不大。母亲将与体重相关的行为作为孩子观察学习健康饮食、体育活动和久坐行为的一种方式，其行为模式在代际群体之间没有差异。母亲的饮食行为在两代人之间差异不大。千禧一代母亲允许孩子在卧室中使用更多的媒体设备，个人每天的屏幕时间也比对照组多。总体而言，这两个世代群体在与体重相关的认知以及个人和育儿生活方式行为方面更为相似，而不是不同。研究结果表明，根据代际因素为处于相似生活阶段（例如，年幼孩子的母亲）量身定制干预措施可能没有必要。
