Family Support for Weight Management: Links between Perceived Quantity and Quality

Despite evidence of the positive effects of social support on weight management, researchers have not examined weight management support within the family. To address this gap, we explored factors associated with the perceived quality of four types of familial social support: instrumental, informational, companionship, and emotional. We found that study participants received instrumental support more than other types of support. Familial factors including mother's weight and family communication were significantly associated with the provision of perceived informational or emotional support. Personal factors including sex, race, income, and weight were significantly associated with perceived instrumental, informational, or companionship support. The results also suggest that the perceived quantity of support is an indicator of the support quality.