Abstract
Objective: To explore women who had a history of eating disorders experiences of managing their children’s diet. This is an under-researched area within the field. Method: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with fourteen women who had a history of an eating disorder. Data were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 1999). Results: Six super-ordinate themes emerged from participants’ accounts: Gold standard, described how mothers fed their children a healthy balanced diet. Food Control, explained how mothers kept control over what their children ate. Food contact, described how mothers had difficulties with preparing food. Social eating, described how many mothers had difficulty with social eating. Eating disorder transmission, showed how the mothers were concerned their children would develop an eating disorder and the strategies they used to prevent this. Weight concerns caused by motherhood, described how motherhood caused further weight concern. Discussion: The findings of this study were that the mothers were very motivated to provide their children with a healthy balanced diet and controlled what they ate and restricted their unhealthy food. Some mothers had difficulty with food contact and social eating. The mothers were concerned that their eating disorder would be transmitted to their children and adopted strategies to prevent this transmission.