Download or read book Obesity Risk Among Preschoolers The Role of Parental Stressors and Children s Emotional Regulation Skills written by Mienah Zulfacar Sharif and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Childhood obesity is associated with adverse health outcomes across the lifecourse. Accordingly, there is growing interest in psychosocial correlates of child obesity, including the role of stress and a child's social-emotional development on obesity risk. This dissertation examined the association between two parental stressors, relationship quality and parenting stress, on preschooler's emotional regulation skills and their obesity risk. Inspired by the Risky Families Model, the overarching theoretical argument and research questions this dissertation addresses is whether higher levels of parental stressors lead to poor emotional regulation skills of the child, and if poor emotional regulation skills contribute to increased risk of child obesity. In addition, this dissertation assessed whether certain parenting resources, including the number of household routines and socioeconomic resources, served as protective factors. I used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort which provides a nationally representative sample of children born in the United States in 2001. To include a more comprehensive analysis of obesity risk, I examined 8 outcomes: frequency of family meals, soda consumption, fast food consumption, fruit consumption, vegetable consumption, sleep duration, odds of exceeding the 2 hour guideline for daily screentime and weight status (obese/not obese). I conducted multivariate Ordinary Least Squares regression , logistic regression, or negative binomial regression to show the relationship between 1) each parental stressor and a child's emotional regulation skills, 2) a child's emotional regulation skills and 8 obesity risk factors and 3) each parental stressor and the 8 obesity risk factors. For each analysis , I included measures of sociodemographic characteristics, socioeconomic resources, child-level characteristics and parent-level characteristics as covariates. Additionally, I tested whether protective factors moderated these associations including interaction terms. Analyses were based on an analytic sample of 4,000 co-residential mother-father dyads at the preschool wave. In general, the results suggested that parental stressors were associated with a child's emotional regulation skills and obesity risk. However, these associations often became non-significant once parent-level characteristics that influence family functioning, or the general social-emotional climate of the household, were added to the models. Thus, the findings indicated that parent-level characteristics including maternal depressive symptomology, conflict resolution styles and the number of household routines may influence a child's behavior and obesity risk above and beyond the specific stressors this dissertation focused on. In addition, the overall findings also suggest that the relationships between parental stressors and child outcomes vary by parental gender as the associations are stronger among mothers than fathers. The results did not support the hypothesis that parenting resources moderated the association between the parental stressors and a child's emotional regulation skills, but there was partial support for moderation when examining the association between a child's emotional regulation skills and the obesity risk factors. This dissertation contributes to the literature on psychosocial correlates of child obesity by highlighting the importance of examining familial characteristics that influence the general social-emotional climate of the household and the role of parents' gender to better understand how the family environment and specific behaviors and practices influence early childhood health and development.

Download or read book Parenting Matters written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-11-21 with total page 525 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the familyâ€"which includes all primary caregiversâ€"are at the foundation of children's well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child's brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond. The experience of parenting also impacts parents themselves. For instance, parenting can enrich and give focus to parents' lives; generate stress or calm; and create any number of emotions, including feelings of happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and anger. Parenting of young children today takes place in the context of significant ongoing developments. These include: a rapidly growing body of science on early childhood, increases in funding for programs and services for families, changing demographics of the U.S. population, and greater diversity of family structure. Additionally, parenting is increasingly being shaped by technology and increased access to information about parenting. Parenting Matters identifies parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with positive developmental outcomes in children ages 0-8; universal/preventive and targeted strategies used in a variety of settings that have been effective with parents of young children and that support the identified knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and barriers to and facilitators for parents' use of practices that lead to healthy child outcomes as well as their participation in effective programs and services. This report makes recommendations directed at an array of stakeholders, for promoting the wide-scale adoption of effective programs and services for parents and on areas that warrant further research to inform policy and practice. It is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of parenting policy, research, and practice in the United States.

Download or read book 2000 CDC Growth Charts for the United States written by and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Parenting Stress written by Kathryn Walton and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-10-31 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Childhood obesity is a serious health problem that has adverse and long-lasting consequences for individuals, families, and communities. The magnitude of the problem has increased dramatically during the last three decades and, despite some indications of a plateau in this growth, the numbers remain stubbornly high. Efforts to prevent childhood obesity to date have focused largely on school-aged children, with relatively little attention to children under age 5. However, there is a growing awareness that efforts to prevent childhood obesity must begin before children ever enter the school system. Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies reviews factors related to overweight and obese children from birth to age 5, with a focus on nutrition, physical activity, and sedentary behavior, and recommends policies that can alter children's environments to promote the maintenance of healthy weight. Because the first years of life are important to health and well-being throughout the life span, preventing obesity in infants and young children can contribute to reversing the epidemic of obesity in children and adults. The book recommends that health care providers make parents aware of their child's excess weight early. It also suggests that parents and child care providers keep children active throughout the day, provide them with healthy diets, limit screen time, and ensure children get adequate sleep. In addition to providing comprehensive solutions to tackle the problem of obesity in infants and young children, Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies identifies potential actions that could be taken to implement those recommendations. The recommendations can inform the decisions of state and local child care regulators, child care providers, health care providers, directors of federal and local child care and nutrition programs, and government officials at all levels.

Download or read book Preventing Childhood Obesity written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2005-01-31 with total page 435 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Children's health has made tremendous strides over the past century. In general, life expectancy has increased by more than thirty years since 1900 and much of this improvement is due to the reduction of infant and early childhood mortality. Given this trajectory toward a healthier childhood, we begin the 21st-century with a shocking developmentâ€"an epidemic of obesity in children and youth. The increased number of obese children throughout the U.S. during the past 25 years has led policymakers to rank it as one of the most critical public health threats of the 21st-century. Preventing Childhood Obesity provides a broad-based examination of the nature, extent, and consequences of obesity in U.S. children and youth, including the social, environmental, medical, and dietary factors responsible for its increased prevalence. The book also offers a prevention-oriented action plan that identifies the most promising array of short-term and longer-term interventions, as well as recommendations for the roles and responsibilities of numerous stakeholders in various sectors of society to reduce its future occurrence. Preventing Childhood Obesity explores the underlying causes of this serious health problem and the actions needed to initiate, support, and sustain the societal and lifestyle changes that can reverse the trend among our children and youth.

Download or read book Robert Combas written by and published by . This book was released on 1987 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Pediatric Obesity written by Michael S. Freemark and published by Humana Press. This book was released on 2018-01-05 with total page 793 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This second edition of Freemark’s text embodies all of the strengths of the original work but is deeper and broader in scope, with new chapters on emerging themes including metabolomics, genomics, and the roles of gastrointestinal hormones, the microbiome, brown adipose tissue, and endocrine disruptors in the pathogenesis of childhood obesity. Reviews of the effects of weight excess on cognitive performance and immune function complement detailed analyses of the biochemical and molecular pathways controlling the development of childhood adiposity and metabolic disease. Critical assessments of nutritional interventions (including new chapters on infant feeding practices and vegetarian diets) and superb reviews of behavioral counseling, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery provide practical guidance for the management of overweight children. Penetrating analyses of the obesity epidemic in its social, cultural, economic, and political contexts highlight challenges and opportunities for obesity prevention and community action. The perspective is international in scope and reflects the expertise and experience of many of the leading figures in the field. Comprehensive and up-to-date, this new edition of Pediatric Obesity: Etiology, Pathogenesis and Treatment will be an invaluable guide for all healthcare providers and policy makers concerned with the evaluation and care of children with nutritional and metabolic disease and with the societal implications of the obesity epidemic.

Download or read book Obesity in the Early Childhood Years written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-05-23 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Among the many troubling aspects of the rising prevalence of obesity in the United States and elsewhere in recent years, the growth of early childhood overweight and obesity stands out. To explore what is known about effective and innovative interventions to counter obesity in young children, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Roundtable on Obesity Solutions held a workshop in October 2015. The workshop brought together many of the leading researchers on obesity in young children to describe the state of the science and potential solutions based on that research. Participants explored sustainable collaborations and new insights into the implementation of interventions and policies, particularly those related to nutrition and physical activity, for the treatment and prevention of obesity in young children. Obesity in the Early Childhood Years summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Download or read book Handbook of Attachment written by Jude Cassidy and published by Guilford Publications. This book was released on 2018-03-19 with total page 1089 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Widely regarded as the state-of-the-science reference on attachment, this handbook interweaves theory and cutting-edge research with clinical applications. Leading researchers examine the origins and development of attachment theory; present biological and evolutionary perspectives; and explore the role of attachment processes in relationships, including both parent–child and romantic bonds. Implications for mental health and psychotherapy are addressed, with reviews of exemplary attachment-oriented interventions for children and adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Contributors discuss best practices in assessment and critically evaluate available instruments and protocols. New to This Edition *Chapters on genetics and epigenetics, psychoneuroimmunology, and sexual mating. *Chapters on compassion, school readiness, and the caregiving system across the lifespan. *Chapter probing the relation between attachment and other developmental influences. *Nearly a decade's worth of theoretical and empirical advances.

Download or read book The Influence of Child and Parental Stress on Adolescent Weight and Mental Health written by Zachary Albert Weber and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Obesity is a burdensome chronic disease that affects a large proportion of adults and children in the United States. The underpinnings of adult obesity may be laid in childhood with children who are obese five times more likely than their non-obese peers to be chronically obese into adulthood. Due to this persistence throughout the lifespan, it is imperative to further understand how the origins of adult obesity are shaped in childhood. Recently, there has been an increased interest in studying how psychosocial stressors may influence weight status in children and adults. Yet, gaps exist in the literature on childhood stress that, if investigated, could lead to identification and intervention of children that are at higher risk of obesity. Prior work utilizing nationally representative surveys investigating stress and child health outcomes have not considered all stressful experiences when identifying children who have highly stressful lives and have not explored the distribution of stressors by race. By including many stressful experiences, a complete picture of childhood stress and its overall effect on child health can be observed. The first study of this dissertation used the nationally representative National Survey of Children’s Health to cross-sectionally explore associations between stress and health outcomes. Nineteen potentially stressful exposures from multiple domains of life were assessed. Children with complete data on all covariates were classified as low (0-3), elevated (4-5), or high (6+) stress based on the total number of stressful experiences. Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic children had increased prevalence of high stress (42.0% and 32.6%) compared to non-Hispanic other (26.9%) and non-Hispanic white (23.0%) children. Children with high stress had 2.03 times the prevalence of obesity (95% CI: 1.76-2.33) for non-Hispanic white, 1.47 (95% CI: 1.03-2.11) for non-Hispanic Black, 2.00 (95% CI: 1.43-2.80) for Hispanic, and 2.81 (95% CI: 2.01-3.94) for non-Hispanic other when compared to low stress children of the same race/ethnicity. High stress was associated with a 10.5 (95% CI: 8.78-12.6), 7.54 (95% CI: 3.69-15.4), 4.16 (95% CI: 1.36-12.7), and 10.2 (95% CI: 6.00-17.3) increase in prevalence of depression for non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic other children. This analysis used a nationally representative sample to generate evidence that non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic children aged 10-17 years old experience higher stress. For children, experiencing high stress was associated with obesity and history of depression and anxiety. Stress as an exposure for children has also been measured using parental stress and mental health. But the association between maternal depression and child obesity is inconclusive with few studies also considering paternal depression. While 1 in 6 mothers experience anxiety, little research has explored the influence of parental anxiety on adolescent weight and mental health. The second study of this dissertation used the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) to further this area of stress research. Within the SECCYD, depressive symptoms were measured 11 times for mothers and 6 times for fathers and anxiety symptoms were measured 5 times for both parents of children aged 1 month to 15 years. Patterns of parental depression and anxiety were classified as never, once, recurrent, or chronic and the association between parental patterns of mental health and adolescent obesity and mental health were estimated. Analyses included 859 children, of which 28.2% and 28.4% had mothers with chronic depressive and chronic anxiety symptoms, respectively. No differences were observed in obesity for children of parents with chronic symptoms of depression or anxiety. Children of parents that experienced both high depressive and anxiety symptoms had a 0.27 (95% CI: 0.02-0.53) and 0.30 (95% CI: 0.06-0.19) increased Children’s Depressive Inventory (CDI) z-score. Children of single mothers with high depressive and anxiety symptoms had a 0.30 (95% CI: 0.09-0.52) and 0.44 (95% CI: 0.19-0.68) increased CDI z-score. No association with CDI z-score was observed for children with at least one parent with no high depressive or anxiety symptoms. These results add to the mixed literature on the association between parental mental health and child obesity but further support studies showing a strong positive association between parental and child depressive symptoms. Interestingly, having one parent with positive mental health may be protective against negative outcomes for adolescents. Among studies of childhood stress and adolescent outcomes, or even adult outcomes, there is no differentiation between the types of stress a child experiences. Different stressful environments and situations generally get combined into a single stress exposure. Yet, these differing types of stress may influence a child differently. Therefore, the third study of this dissertation attempted to identify how sources of stress may affect a child’s health. Data from the SECCYD was again utilized to understand how stress from 7 sources: behavioral, emotional, social, parental, familial, economic, and neighborhood, can differentially influence child outcomes. Additionally, a total stress score was created by identifying children who had high stress from multiple sources. The analyses contained 923 children, of which 778 appeared in both 3rd and 5th grade models. Experiencing high stress in 4 or more of the stress groupings was associated with a 2.09 (95% CI: 1.01-4.35) and 4.48 (95% CI: 2.09-9.62) increased odds of obesity in adolescence in the 3rd and 5th grade models, respectively. Similar patterns were seen with adolescent depressive symptoms. Of the individual sources of stress, economic and neighborhood-based stressors were associated with higher likelihood of adolescent obesity while behavioral, emotional, social, and parental stress was associated with increased adolescent depressive symptoms. These results suggest that targeting different sources of stress may be beneficial for obesity and depression interventions. Obesity does not have a simple, singular solution due to its causes being multifactorial and complex. Obesity prevention should consider the multiple interacting levels that can contribute to changes in weight. This dissertation highlights how stress may be an influential exposure to study as stressors can be individually perceived, influence interactions with others, and be caused by the greater environment. By reducing the effects of childhood stress through proper interventions, the outcomes of obesity and mental health may be minimized and should be further studied, building upon the work of this dissertation.

Download or read book Wong s Nursing Care of Infants and Children E Book written by Marilyn J. Hockenberry and published by Elsevier Health Sciences. This book was released on 2022-12-23 with total page 1470 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provide quality nursing care through each stage of child development! Wong’s Nursing Care of Infants and Children, 12th Edition uses an easy-to-follow, family-centered approach to describe the care of children at each age and stage of development. The book begins with a discussion of the influences on and assessment of child health, then provides chapters on child health promotion and health problems — all organized by age groups and body systems. Up-to-date, evidence-based information helps you develop critical thinking skills along with the sensitivity needed to become a compassionate, caring pediatric nurse. Written by a team of experts led by Marilyn J. Hockenberry, Wong’s continues to be the leading text in pediatric nursing. Focus on family-centered care emphasizes the role and influence of the family in child health and illness with a separate chapter and Family-Centered Care boxes. Full-color drawings and photographs reflect the latest in nursing care. Nursing Care Guidelines boxes offer clear, step-by-step instructions for interventions in a variety of situations and conditions, and Nursing Care Plan boxes included expected patient outcomes and rationales for nursing interventions. Nursing Tips include helpful hints and practical, clinical information. Translating Evidence into Practice and Applying Evidence to Practice boxes help you apply research to improve the outcomes of nursing care. Atraumatic Care boxes contain techniques for care that manage pain, discomfort, or stress, along with approaches to promote self-esteem and prevent embarrassment. Emergency Treatment boxes serve as a quick reference for interventions in critical situations. Cultural Considerations and Cultural Competence content provides tips from clinical experts. Community and Home Health Considerations boxes address issues such as increasing immunization rates, decreasing smoking among teens, and preventing lead poisoning. Drug Alerts highlight important drug-related information for safe, appropriate care. Nursing Alerts call out critical considerations such as key assessment data, risk factors, and danger signs that must be considered in providing care. Research Focus boxes emphasize research with concise reviews of important evidence.

Download or read book Advances in Communication Research to Reduce Childhood Obesity written by Jerome D. Williams and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-02-12 with total page 558 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rates of childhood obesity are alarmingly high and increasing each year. Studies have shown that obese children are more likely to become obese adults and are likely to suffer with numerous health consequences like coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and Type II diabetes, among others. Studies also indicate that television viewing and exposure to advertising for food products influences children's attitudes toward, food preferences and food purchase requests for foods with low nutritional value. It is important to better understand the role of media in childhood obesity and to learn how media may be used to address this issue in a positive way. This book focuses on communication and media research that can have an impact on reducing childhood obesity. Emphasis is placed on topics related to how the media communicate health-related messages about food, nutrition and diet that influence childhood obesity. Particular emphasis is on the new media, given the fact that media now have more central roles in socializing today’s children and youth than ever before. Advertising and marketing messages reach young consumers through a variety of vehicles – broadcast and cable television, radio, magazines, computers through the Internet, music, cell phones – and in many different venues – homes, schools, child-care settings, grocery stores, shopping malls, theaters, sporting events, and even airports. In addition, given the disparity in obesity rates between children of color and the general population, special attention is given to research on media targeting these populations.

Download or read book Clinical Implications of Attachment written by Jay Belsky and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-11-17 with total page 459 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 1987. This study records findings of a study group set up to explore a variety of issues related to attachment, including the predictive utility of Strange Situation assessments, the conditions under which insecurity is related to subsequent difficulties, the origins of individual differences in attachment security, and intervention strategies that might prove useful in ameliorating the developmental risks that appeared to be associated with insecure attachment relationships

Download or read book Understanding Child Obesity the Essential Role of Parents written by Selva Sugunendran and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2012-03 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: (A) Why You Should Read This Book Attention Parents: If your child is obese, then you MUST read this. You cannot afford to be unaware of the serious health risks associated with childhood obesity. As a loving, caring parent, you only want the best for your child but you may not know how serious those extra pounds are. Did you know that your child could face serious health risks, such as: Elevated Cholesterol, Breathing Problems Overexerted Heart Muscle, Causing a Higher Risk of Heart Disease or Heart Attack, Diabetes, Sleep Apnea (Stopping Breathing While Asleep),Weaker Bones and Muscle Problems It's imperative that you help your child maintain an appropriate weight for his or her height and age. Help Your Child Lose Extra Pounds and Maintain a Healthy, Appropriate Weight Without Any Suffering at All! Unfortunately, parents are victims. We live in an age of McDonald's, video games, convenience and technology. It's harder than ever to make sure our children are a healthy and appropriate weight. Our children are not going to save themselves it's up to us to ensure that they are healthy and happy. It's not just our responsibility it's our duty. Take a look at the shocking statistics below: Even one popular cookie commercial utilizes the power of family,' showing children and their parents racing to eat the cookies making it seem like a regular, normal activity you might engage in if you're a good' parent. With all of these different signals coming at you, it can be extremely difficult to determine whether you're making the right decisions regarding your child's diet. That's why I'm excited to tell you about "Understanding Childhood Obesity and the Essential Role of Parents" This is a book designed to help you take control of your child's diet and ensure that he or she is getting precisely what they need and no more and that you're supporting a healthy, appropriate weight. It takes the guesswork out of the equation and answers the nagging questions you have about your child's nutrition. Just some of the information you'll find in this book includes: (1) What daily foods your child should be eating. These are the foods that are essential for good growth and development in your child. (2) Which foods they should be eating sparingly the kinds of foods that could end up as problematic and cause more weight to be gained. (3) How to introduce your child to healthier foods that they may be averse to in the beginning and how to sneak in healthy foods. (4) How much exercise your child should be getting each day and what qualifies as exercise. Did you know that something as simple as jumping rope can be an excellent exercise for your child? (5) What questions and topics you should bring up with your doctor. Should your child be taking medications or vitamin supplements? How much overweight is your child and how much weight should they lose? How quickly should they lose this weight? These are all valid questions that you should ask your child's pediatrician. Find out which other ones you should be asking. It's Never Too Late to Put Your Child on the Fast Track to Great Physical and Mental Health! Don't let your child become a victim of one of the most preventable diseases in the United States of America. Utilize the proper nutrition and diet tools that this book will provide you with to ensure that your child is healthy and happy. Prevent your child from developing lifelong habits that encourage obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other health complications. If you've researched at all, you've most likely seen other books offering childhood obesity resources. It can be difficult to know which one you should trust. I can assure you that my only goal is to help you maintain your child's health. Together we can beat the global epidemic of childhood obesity. The statistics don't have to keep getting worse and worse. We can see definite improvement if we

Download or read book McCance Huether s Pathophysiology E Book written by Julia Rogers and published by Elsevier Health Sciences. This book was released on 2022-08-03 with total page 1738 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW! More than 50 new or revised illustrations visually reinforce pathophysiology concepts. NEW! Emerging Science boxes highlight the most current research and clinical developments.

Download or read book Chronic Stress and Obesity in Children written by Mari-Ann Ferran Alexander and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Childhood obesity has been prevalent for a number of years despite programs designed to educate children and families on healthy diets and activities. Multiple disciplines have reported chronic stress can interfere with normal neuroendocrine functions in the body which include energy balance. Research into alternate mechanisms contributing to childhood obesity is just beginning to include psychosocial factors' and their influence on biology. Healthy coping strategies can reduce the effects of stress and influence perceptions of what is stressful. Warm, secure relationships with parents, family connectedness, and a secure stable environment all contribute to the buffering of chronic stress as well as promote the ability to cope with stress. Through the years, changes in the family environment through divorce, single parenthood, and cohabitation may play a role in the child's ability to cope with stress. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore relationships between the child's perceptions of chronic stress, coping strategies, family connectedness, family characteristics, and weight in 4th and 5th grade children. This study used a cross sectional and correlational design. The conceptual framework guiding this study was the Bio-Psycho-Social Model for Health integrating the three dimensions (biological, psychological, and sociological) as they relate to obesity in children. Well established instruments were used to measure chronic stress, coping, family connectedness, and weight. Results did not reveal a relationship between chronic stress and children's weights. The 'frequency the family sat down to eat dinner together' was significantly related to weight: the more dinners together the lower the body mass indices and accounted for 14.7% variance in children's body mass indices. Frequency of family meals was also correlated with the frequency of cooking dinner and negative trending of both 'frequency' and 'helpfulness' of coping strategies: possibly suggesting less need for the coping strategies. Parents' education was positively correlated with more sleep on school nights for children. The findings suggest the importance of family time together is related to lower body mass indices in children.