Causal Loop Diagram of Adult and Child Social Transmission of Obesity.

This figure shows a causal loop diagram that illustrates the elements of the system we used for our research to model and test hypotheses regarding child and adult social transmission of unhealthy behaviors causing overweight and obesity. Adult level elements are shown in green and child level elements are shown in pink. Each element in the system is included with arrows drawn between elements to indicate relationships where they exist. The arrows are labeled with plus signs if a positive relationship exists between the elements and minus sign if an inverse relationship exists. The diagram includes adult-to-adult, adult-to-child, and child-to-child social transmission elements with arrows indicating how each increases overweight and obese individuals in the population for each respective age group. The overweight and obese individuals for each age group are shown with arrows to indicate its positive relationship with social transmission and inverse relationship with normal weight individuals. Finally normal weight individuals in each age group have arrows indicating an inverse relationship to social transmission of overweight and obesity. Within the elements and arrows described, circular arrows with a capital “R” are shown in the center to indicate reinforcing feedback loops. Elements of intervention impact are also included with arrows and plus/minus signs indicating relationships. Treatment intervention impact for children and adults are shown with negative labeled arrows to overweight and obese children and adults actively engaging in weight loss behaviors. Prevention intervention impact for children and adult levels are shown with negatively labeled arrows to social transmission. Intervention impact lines are shown at different widths to indicate differences in relative magnitude of impact. The thickest lines are shown regarding adult-to-adult impact and child-to-child impacts. Lines of medium thickness are shown regarding adult-to-child impact. Finally the thinnest lines are shown regarding child to adult impact.