Family violence and food consumption: A systematic review

Abstract

This study aimed to systematize the peer-reviewed studies published about the relationship between direct and indirect exposure to family violence in childhood and adolescence and food consumption at different stages of life. Seven databases were searched, without restrictions on language and year of publication. Publications in English, Spanish or Portuguese about the experience of family violence during childhood and adolescence and/or exposure to intimate partner violence and food consumption were eligible. The selection, data extraction and quality assessment were conducted by three reviewers. The search resulted in 4040 articles. At the end, seven articles were included in this review. They were published between 2009 and 2020, in the USA, England and Brazil. The exposure and outcome were measured differently in the studies, either by specific questions or by validated instruments. Seven studies evaluated direct family violence, and only one evaluated indirectly. The literature suggests that family violence appears to be associated with food consumption. However, the studies had considerable heterogeneity in the design, study population and measurement methods, which makes it difficult to understand this relationship.