Caregiver experiences, attitudes and perceptions about feeding toddlers and preschool children in Switzerland: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background: Young children depend upon caregivers to make healthy food and beverage choices on their behalf. Research to understand caregiver perspectives may help develop interventions to improve diets and offer new insights for healthcare professionals and future nutrition studies. The main study aim was to explore caregiver feeding experiences, with a focus on portion sizes and attitudes towards beverages, for the first time in Switzerland, and contribute to the European perspective in this field. Methods: Inductive, qualitative study with purposive sampling of 19 male and female caregivers (low-high income, 20-46y) of children (1-5y) using in-depth interviews. The model, "Food Choice Process over the Life Course", was used as a theoretical framework. Full transcripts underwent a thematic analysis. Key themes were developed from the data. Results: Key themes were a) Rules and routines b) Tacit knowledge c) Explicit knowledge d) Managing. Rules about foods and beverages to encourage/limit were widespread. Participants struggled to explain how they portioned foods but offered volume-estimates of beverages portions. Perceptions about health effects of beverages influenced choices. Managing time and budget influenced purchases and meal preparation. There was good agreement with the theoretical framework. Conclusions: Rules and routines reflected anti-obesity recommendations and food-choice values. Perceived health effects of certain beverages, cultural classifications of snacking and the influence of income and time highlight multi-level determinants influencing dietary choices about feeding young children. Health-care professionals may wish to consider these emergent themes when advising on early-childhood feeding. Future studies are required to understand more about the attitudes and perceptions of beverages in the diets of toddlers and preschooler, along with perceptions related to snacking behaviours.

Perceptions of commercial snack food and beverages for infant and young child feeding: A mixed‐methods study among caregivers in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

“…NVivo 11 was used for the analysis of qualitative data. A data‐driven inductive thematic analysis was conducted following methods outlined by Braun and Clarke (), which has been used as a basis for analysis in similar studies seeking to understand caregivers' feeding practices for young children (Jacquier, Gatrell, & Bingley, ). Transcripts were initially auto‐coded on the basis of the questions in the discussion guideline; these were reviewed, and three major domains specific to commercial snack foods were identified: (a) the use of commercial snack foods and beverages for children, (b) reasons for feeding commercial snack food to the children, and (c) caregiver's perception of commercial snack foods for young children.…”

“An invisible map” - maternal perceptions of hunger, satiation and ‘enough’ in the context of baby led and traditional complementary feeding practices

“…Interviews with 19 male and female mixed income caregivers of children aged between one and five years by Jacquier, Gatrell and Bingley (2016) similarly found that caregivers' anticipation of what children would eat, influenced the amount provided. Meanwhile, Spence, Hesketh, Crawford and Campbell's (2016) interviews with 26 mothers of two-year olds found that perceived 'poor' eating and child age (younger rather than older) caused concern about the sufficiency of intake thereby leading mothers to encourage greater intake.…”

“We don't snack”: Attitudes and perceptions about eating in-between meals amongst caregivers of young children

“…This analysis was part of a wider qualitative study (and part of a doctoral research thesis) which used in-depth interviews to understand the experience, attitudes and perceptions of caregivers feeding toddlers and preschoolers (Jacquier, Gatrell, & Bingley, 2016). The wider study used indepth interviews to glean understandings about general feeding behaviours and included a M A N U S C R I P T A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT particular focus on the portioning of foods and beverages, along with attitudes and perceptions related to beverages in the diets of young children.…”