Self-Regulation and the Management of Childhood Obesity

Abstract

Failure in self-regulation has been proposed as a moderator in the development of overweight and obesity, primarily through its effects on deregulated eating behavior. As a result, it might cause regulatory problems in the energy balance, as well as rapid weight gain from early childhood through adolescence. Self-control is the exertion of control over the self by the self. Self-control occurs when a person (or other organism) attempts to change the way he or she would otherwise think, feel, or behave. Thus, self-control may be view as part of self-regulation. Parents and health care providers face the challenge of helping children practice regulation and develop coping skills alongside the ability to take care of their own well-being. This paper attempts to bridge the gap between self-control theories and interventions for the management of childhood obesity. The dietary restriction approach will be compared with the trust paradigm, which emphasizes children’s internal hunger, satiety cues and a division of responsibilities between parents and children.