Association between parental feeding practices and children’s dietary intake: a cross-sectional study in the Gardermoen Region, Norway

Abstract

Background Parental feeding practices may be important determinants for children’s diets. In Norway, few studies have assessed this association and to our knowledge, no studies have included fish as an outcome. Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the association between multiple parental feeding practices and children’s food intake. Design Parents (n = 111) of preschool children aged 1–5 years in the Gardermoen Region in Norway were recruited. The parents completed a web–based questionnaire regarding the use of 12 feeding practices measured by the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ). Children’s weekly food intake was measured using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The association between parental feeding practices and food intake was assessed by logistic regression. Results The feeding practices involvement and environment increased the likelihood of children having a higher intake of fruit and berries (OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.15, 3.44 and OR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.17, 3.78, respectively) when controlling for potential confounders. A positive association was found between the feeding practice environment and the children’s intake of vegetables (OR = 2.94, CI = 1.55, 5.55), and between modeling and intake of vegetables (OR = 2.14, CI = 1.26, 3.63). Also, the feeding practice encourage balance and variety increased the likelihood of a higher consumption of vegetables (OR = 5.18, CI = 1.63, 16.5). Parents who more frequently encouraged the child to eat balanced and varied were more likely to have children with a higher consumption of fish (OR = 5.03, CI = 1.62, 15.7). If parents used more restriction for weight, the child was less likely to have a high SSB consumption (OR = 0.43, CI = 0.22, 0.83). Conclusion Findings suggest that children’s intake of the favorite food item groups, fruit and berries, vegetables and fish, was associated with the use of positive feeding practices, such as involvement, environment, modeling and encouragement. For unfavorable food groups, only restriction for weight was negatively associated with SSB consumption. Findings should be interpreted carefully due to the relatively small sample size.

Parental feeding practices and ultra-processed food consumption in preschool children

“…In fact, more recent studies point out that a moderate level of parental control, such as "Monitoring" the consumption of unhealthy foods, is a strategy that impacts children's food consumption and is associated with maintaining adequate weight and healthy eating, including fruits and vegetables [30][31][32]. In this connection, these findings reinforce the parental feeding practice of "Monitoring" as a strategy that should be encouraged, as a way to control the consumption of less healthy foods by children and even to encourage the consumption of foods considered healthy [16,27].…”

Diet Quality and Changes in Food Intake during the University Studies in Polish Female Young Adults: Linkages with Food Experiences from Childhood and Perceived Nutrition Concerns

“…Parent-child interactions termed "food parenting" include feeding styles covering a wide range of feeding with the inclusion of emotions and parental feeding practices (PFP), which are specific strategies and actions (the "when, what, and how") [25]. It has been shown that childhood experiences resulting from PFP are correlated with dietary practices [26,27] as well as with the food preferences of adults [28]. Such PFP as encouraging eating in a supportive manner, modeling favorable eating behaviors, and eating meals together might favor healthy eating behaviors and greater diet quality [29,30].…”

Parental Feeding Practice in Relation to Their Children’s Weight Status among Puncak Alam Residents

“…Moreover, inadequate complementary feeding practices, including insufficient food or a balanced diet, can lead to malnutrition, weight loss, muscle wasting, and stunting in children (Ganesan et al, 2022). Furthermore, research by Mazza et al (2022) revealed that coercive control practices, including restrictive feeding practices, have been associated with unfavourable food intake and may contribute to malnutrition or wasting in children. Russell et al (2018) study results show that parents of preschoolers who were randomly allocated to a nutrition intervention used less food as a reward, less pressure to eat, and less child control than parents of preschoolers who had not participated in the nutrition intervention arm of the study.…”