Researchers followed families for 6 years to understand how people develop healthy eating skills. They discovered that the way adults and children approach food is pretty stable over time—it doesn’t change much on its own. Interestingly, parents and kids don’t necessarily have the same eating habits as each other. The study suggests that if we want to help people eat better, we need to teach them specific skills about enjoying food and listening to their bodies, rather than just giving them information about nutrition or pushing them to eat certain foods.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether the way adults and children approach eating changes over time, and if parents’ eating habits influence their children’s eating habits
  • Who participated: 406 adults (mostly mothers) and 296 fourth-grade children from schools in the United States. Most participants were White and had completed college education. Some families participated in eating education programs, while others didn’t.
  • Key finding: Eating habits stayed remarkably stable over 6 years for both adults and children. A person’s eating approach at the beginning of the study was very similar to their approach 6 years later. However, parents’ eating habits were not strongly connected to their children’s eating habits.
  • What it means for you: Your basic approach to eating is likely to stay consistent over time. If you want to improve how you eat, you may need focused training on specific eating skills rather than just learning nutrition facts. Parents shouldn’t assume their kids will automatically adopt their own eating habits.

The Research Details

This was a long-term study that checked in with the same families four times over 6 years. Researchers measured how well adults and children understood healthy eating by asking them questions about their eating habits and attitudes. Some families participated in special eating education programs (either for kids in school or for whole families), while other families didn’t receive any special program. The researchers used statistical methods to track whether eating habits changed over time and whether parents’ eating habits matched their children’s habits.

The study included both classroom activities for children and online surveys for parents. This combination allowed researchers to gather information from busy families in different ways. The researchers carefully measured things like how much physical activity people got, how stressed they felt, their weight, and what foods kids preferred to eat, because these things might affect eating habits.

Understanding whether eating habits are stable or changeable is important for designing better nutrition programs. If eating habits naturally change over time, programs might not need to be as intensive. But if they’re stable, programs need to be more focused and direct. This study also helps us understand whether parents can simply model good eating for their kids or whether kids need their own specific training.

This study is strong because it followed the same people over a long time (6 years), which gives us confidence in the findings. The researchers measured eating habits consistently at each check-in point. However, most participants were White and college-educated, so the results might not apply equally to all communities. The study included a reasonable number of families, though some dropped out over the 6 years, which is normal for long-term research.

What the Results Show

The most striking finding was that eating competence—how well people understand and practice healthy eating—remained very stable over the entire 6-year period. For both adults and children, their eating approach at the start of the study was strongly similar to their approach at the end. This suggests that the way people relate to food is a fairly fixed characteristic, at least over a 6-year timeframe.

The researchers also found that the eating education programs offered during the study did not significantly change people’s eating competence. Whether families participated in the Fuel for Fun program for kids, the About Eating program for families, or no program at all, their eating habits remained stable. This was true even when researchers looked at different factors that might have influenced change, like physical activity levels, stress, or body weight.

Another important finding was that parents’ eating competence was not strongly connected to their children’s eating competence. In other words, a parent with excellent eating habits didn’t necessarily have a child with excellent eating habits, and vice versa. This suggests that children develop their eating approach through their own experiences rather than simply copying their parents.

The study examined several factors that researchers thought might influence eating habits, including physical activity, stress levels, body mass index, and children’s preference for fruits and vegetables. However, none of these factors appeared to significantly change eating competence over time. The researchers also looked at different parenting feeding strategies (like pressuring kids to eat or restricting certain foods), but these didn’t significantly alter the stability of eating competence either.

This research confirms what nutrition experts have theorized about eating competence—that it’s a stable characteristic based on how people learned to relate to food. The finding that eating competence doesn’t change easily aligns with other research showing that deeply ingrained habits are difficult to modify. However, this study goes further by showing that even structured nutrition education programs don’t automatically shift these habits, which challenges the assumption that providing information alone leads to behavior change.

The study had some important limitations. Most participants were White and college-educated, so we don’t know if these findings apply to people from other backgrounds or with different education levels. Some families dropped out of the study over the 6 years, which could have affected the results. The study measured eating competence through surveys, which rely on people’s honest answers about their habits. Additionally, the programs tested in this study may not have been specifically designed to change eating competence using the methods the researchers recommend, which could explain why they didn’t show changes.

The Bottom Line

If you want to improve your eating habits or your child’s eating habits, focus on learning specific eating skills rather than just reading nutrition information. These skills include learning to recognize hunger and fullness signals, enjoying a variety of foods without pressure, and developing a relaxed approach to eating. Work with a nutrition professional who understands eating competence principles. For parents: recognize that your child may develop their own eating approach independent of yours, so they may benefit from their own personalized guidance. Confidence level: Moderate—the research is solid, but more studies are needed to identify what actually does change eating competence.

This research matters for parents who want to help their kids develop healthy eating habits, adults trying to improve their own relationship with food, nutrition educators designing programs, and healthcare providers counseling families about eating. It’s less relevant for people looking for quick fixes or simple dietary rules. The findings suggest that if you’ve struggled with eating habits for a long time, you’re not alone—these patterns are deeply ingrained and require focused, skill-based approaches rather than willpower alone.

Based on this research, don’t expect to see major changes in eating habits within weeks or months. Eating competence appears to be a stable characteristic that may require sustained, focused intervention over many months to shift. If you’re working with a professional on eating skills, give yourself at least 3-6 months of consistent practice before evaluating progress.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your hunger and fullness signals on a scale of 1-10 before and after meals for 4 weeks. Note how often you eat when truly hungry (not just because food is available) and stop when comfortably full (not stuffed). This builds awareness of one of the core eating competence skills.
  • Use the app to set a weekly goal focused on one eating competence skill: either recognizing hunger cues, practicing eating without distractions, or trying one new food without pressure. Rotate through different skills weekly rather than trying to change everything at once.
  • Every month, rate your overall eating competence on a simple scale (1-10) based on how relaxed and confident you feel about eating. Track this alongside your specific skill practice. Over 3-6 months, you should see gradual improvement in your confidence even if your overall eating patterns look similar.

This research describes patterns in how eating habits develop and change over time, but it should not replace personalized medical or nutritional advice. If you have concerns about your eating habits, your child’s nutrition, or any eating disorder, please consult with a healthcare provider, registered dietitian, or mental health professional. This study was conducted with a specific population and may not apply equally to everyone. Always discuss any significant dietary changes with your doctor, especially if you have underlying health conditions.