The article "Parental Influence on Eating Behavior: Conception to Adolescence" by Jennifer S. Savage, Jennifer Orlet Fisher, and Leann L. Birch explores the factors that shape children's food preferences and eating behaviors from conception through adolescence. The authors highlight how historical conditions of food scarcity have influenced parental feeding practices, which can now promote overeating and overweight in a context of dietary abundance. They discuss the impact of prenatal exposure to maternal flavors, the protective effects of breastfeeding, and the role of genetic predispositions and repeated exposure in food acceptance. The article also examines the influence of parental modeling, feeding styles, and cultural and socioeconomic contexts on children's eating behaviors. It emphasizes the need for early interventions to promote healthier eating patterns and suggests that traditional feeding practices may need to be modified to address the current threats to children's health, such as obesity and chronic disease. The authors advocate for feeding strategies that are responsive to children's hunger and satiety cues and encourage self-regulation, while acknowledging the challenge of changing long-held cultural and traditional practices.The article "Parental Influence on Eating Behavior: Conception to Adolescence" by Jennifer S. Savage, Jennifer Orlet Fisher, and Leann L. Birch explores the factors that shape children's food preferences and eating behaviors from conception through adolescence. The authors highlight how historical conditions of food scarcity have influenced parental feeding practices, which can now promote overeating and overweight in a context of dietary abundance. They discuss the impact of prenatal exposure to maternal flavors, the protective effects of breastfeeding, and the role of genetic predispositions and repeated exposure in food acceptance. The article also examines the influence of parental modeling, feeding styles, and cultural and socioeconomic contexts on children's eating behaviors. It emphasizes the need for early interventions to promote healthier eating patterns and suggests that traditional feeding practices may need to be modified to address the current threats to children's health, such as obesity and chronic disease. The authors advocate for feeding strategies that are responsive to children's hunger and satiety cues and encourage self-regulation, while acknowledging the challenge of changing long-held cultural and traditional practices.