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Mothers' descriptions of their feeding strategies in response to fussy eating with children of different levels of trait fussiness
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posted on 2023-05-16, 06:31 authored by Alissa BurnettAlissa Burnett, Catherine G Russell, Kathleen E Lacy, Anthony Worsley, Alison C SpenceParent feeding practices influence a child's dietary intake. Many studies examining how parents react to children's fussy eating behaviours have been limited to questionnaire measures, which assess a limited number of feeding practices. There is a lack of research exploring the range of strategies parents use when their child is being fussy and/or refusing to eat. Therefore, the aims of this study are to describe the strategies used by mothers when their child is being fussy or refusing to eat, and to assess differences in the strategies depending on the child's trait fussiness levels. In 2018, 1504 mothers of children aged 2-5 years completed an online survey. Trait fussiness was assessed using the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Mothers were also asked the open-ended question "What are the strategies you use when your child is being fussy or refusing to eat?". Inductive thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo. Themes were compared by child trait fussiness levels. Seven main themes were identified: child-led feeding/trust in child's appetite, spectrum of pressure, home or family strategies, different types of food offerings, communication, avoid certain strategies, and never or rarely fussy. Mothers of children with severe trait fussiness levels reported more pressuring or persuasive strategies. This study provides novel information regarding the diverse range of feeding practices parents use in response to children's fussy eating behaviours. Mothers used more feeding strategies typically associated with unhealthy dietary intake for children of high levels of trait fussiness. It is important that future interventions tailor the information to provide support to parents of children with high levels of trait fussiness regarding the use of feeding practices recommended to support healthy dietary intake.
History
Journal
AppetiteArticle number
106581Pagination
1-30Location
Amsterdam, The NetherlandsPublisher DOI
ISSN
0195-6663eISSN
1095-8304Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalPublisher
ElsevierUsage metrics
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