Assessment of eating habits of preschool children and parent attitudes

Erdem, Feyzanur; Arıca, Seçil

doi:10.1590/1678-9865202336e230003

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Sumário

ORIGINAL | Nutritional Assessment • Rev Nutr 36 • 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-9865202336e230003 copy

Assessment of eating habits of preschool children and parent attitudes

Avaliação dos hábitos alımentares de pré-escolar e atitudes dos pais

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective

The purpose of this study is to investigate preschoolers’ eating behaviors and parents’ attitudes.

Methods

This descriptive observational study employed a convenience sampling method to investigate the eating behavior of preschool children aged 3-6 years. Data was collected through a Personal and Parent Information Form and the Children’s Eating Behavior Inventory. The study included 206 participants, and the findings provide insights into parental attitudes toward feeding and children’s eating behaviors in 3-6 age group.

Results

The study sample included 206 parents of children between the ages of 3 and 6, with the majority of children having a normal weight. Parents’ responses to the survey questions revealed significant correlations between children’s weight percentiles and parental education level, maternal body mass index level, and income level. Positive eating behaviors in children were positively correlated with parental age and education level, income level, child age, and child percentile level, while negative eating behaviors were negatively correlated with parental age, educational status, income level, and positively correlated with maternal body mass index level. Gender differences were observed, with male children exhibiting lower mean scores in negative eating behaviors, maternal views and behaviors, child food preparation behavior, and negative meal situations compared to female children.

Conclusion

We found that parental education level and income level were correlated with children’s positive eating behavior, while they were negatively associated with negative eating behavior. Negative eating behavior and food preparation behavior were lower in boys than in girls.

Keywords
Feeding Behavior; Obesity; Child, Preschool

Question no	Inventory Question Content		Average score
	Positive eating behaviors exhibited by the child
1		My child chews food as expected for his age	4.08
9		My child feed him/her self as expected for his/her age	3.18
21		My child eats foods that taste different	2.40
23		My child uses cutlery as expected for his/her age	4.15
35		My child says he/she is hungry	3.86
36		My child says he/she’ll get fat if he/she eats too much	2.49
	Negative eating behaviors exhibited by the child
3		My child watches TV at meals	3.95
5		My child takes more than half an hour to eat his/her meals	3.48
6		Relatives complain about my child’s eating	2.46
15		My child comes to table 1 or 2 minutes after I call	2.93
28		My child lets food sit in his/her mouth	1.93
34		My child eats when upset	1.81
38		My child hides food	1.88
39		My child brings toy sor books to the table	2.29
	Negative eating behaviors exhibited by the child outside of mealtime
8		My child asks fo r food which he/she shouldn’t have	3.97
10		My child gags at mealtimes	1.51
14		My child takes food between meals without asking	3.18
17		My child eats quickly	2.19
18		My child makes foods for him/her self when not allowed	2.84
20		At home my child eats food he/she shouldn’t have	3.44
24		At friends’ homes my child eats food he/she shouldn’ t eat	3.53
25		My child asks for food between meals	3.67
27		My child eats chunky foods	3.68
	Maternal views and behaviors
4		I feed my child if he(she doesn’e eat	3.29
7		My child enjoys eating	3.20
11		I feel confident my child eats enough	3.23
12		I find our meals stressful	2.59
19		I get upset when my child doesn’t eat	3.49
22		I let my child have snacks between meals if he/she doesn’t eat at meals	3.79
26		I get upset when I think about our meals	2.33
29		At dinner I let my child choose the foods he/she wants from what is served	3.26
30		My child’s behavior at meals upsets my spouse	2.35
	Behaviors of the child regarding food preparation
2		My child helps to set the table	3.17
37		My child helps to clear the table
	Negative conditions for the child during the meal
13		My child vomits at mealtime	1.47
16		My child chokes at mealtimes	1.41
	Family consequences. how the child feels about their behavior understanding. Controlling behavior
31		I agree with my spouse about how much our child should eat	3.08
32		My child interrupts conversations with my spouse at meals	2.74
33		I get upset with my spouse at meals	2.25
40		My child’s behavior at meals upsets our other children	1.73

Sociodemographic information			M±SD	(Min-Max)	n	%
Maternal age			30.3±6.3	(17-55)
Paternal age			33.0±6.4	(20-60)
	Maternal education status
		Literate			72	35.3
		Elementary school			85	41.4
		High school			33	16.1
		Higher education			13	6.2
		Master’s/PhD^* * Doctor of philosophy;			2	1.0
	Paternal education status
		Literate			42	21.4
		Elementary school			92	46.9
		High school			37	18.9
		Higher education			21	10.7
		Master’s/PhD^* * Doctor of philosophy;			4	2.1
	Parental relationship status
		Mother or father passed away			7	3.4
		Divorced/living apart			23	11.2
		Living together			176	85.4
	Maternal weight^ Mother’s weight classification according to Body Mass Index level.
		Underweight			2	0.9
		Normal weight			66	31.8
		Overweight			76	36.6
		Obese			64	30.7
	Mother’s Perception of Child’s Weight
		Too underweight			4	2.0
		Underweight			27	13.4
		Normal			92	45.5
		Overweight			61	30.2
		Obese			18	8.9

Parental Sociodemographic Information	Child percentile
Parental Sociodemographic Information	rho	p
Maternal education level	0.177	0.011
Paternal education level	0.223	0.002
Maternal Body Mass Index	0.244	<0.001
Income level	0.203	0.004

Children’s eating behavior	Maternal age		Paternal age		Maternal education level		Paternal education level		Income level		Maternal BMI		Child age		Child percentil
Children’s eating behavior	rho	p	rho	p	rho	p	rho	p	rho	p	rho	p	rho	p	rho	p
Positive eating behaviors exhibited by children	0.214	0.002	0.279	< 0.001	0.255	< 0.001	0.201	0.005	0.244	< 0.001	0.126	0.072	0.249	< 0.001	0.292	< 0.001
Negative eating behaviors exhibited by children	-0.176	0.011	-0.217	0.002	-0.225	0.001	-0.155	0.030	-0.175	0.013	0.198	0.005	-0.087	0.214	-0.098	0.163
Negative eating behaviors exhibited by children outside mealtime	-0.071	0.314	-0.024	0.740	-0.115	0.102	-0.133	0.063	0.021	0.766	0.304	< 0.001	0.043	0.542	0.221	0.001
Maternal views and behaviors	-0.122	0.081	-0.158	0.027	-0.223	0.001	-0.213	0.003	-0.165	0.018	0.102	0.145	-0.152	0.029	0.013	0.856
Children’s behaviors regarding food preparation	-0.026	0.713	-0.023	0.749	-0.094	0.179	-0.096	0.179	-0.115	0.103	0.095	0.176	0.009	0.893	-0.129	0.065
Negative conditions for children during the meal	-0.075	0.285	-0.182	0.011	-0.260	< 0.001	-0.286	< 0.001	-0.305	< 0.001	0.108	0.125	-0.147	0.035	-0.218	0.002
Family outcomes; children’s behavior comprehend and control their behaviors	-0.031	0.658	-0.091	0.206	-0.008	0.905	-0.080	0.267	-0.022	0.753	0.183	0.009	0.111	0.112	0.185	0.008

Eating behaviors	Child gender				p
	Male		Female
	M	SD	M	SD
Positive eating behaviors exhibited by children	3.6	0.8	3.5	0.8	0.615
Negative eating behaviors exhibited by children	2.5	0.7	2.8	0.7	0.001
Negative eating behaviors exhibited by children outside mealtime	3.5	0.9	3.4	0.9	0.662
Maternal views and behaviors	3.0	0.6	3.2	0.6	0.007
Children’s behaviors regarding food preparation	2.2	0.8	2.8	0.8	<0.001
Negative conditions for children during the meal	1.3	0.6	1.6	0.9	0.001
Family consequences, how children feel about their behavior understanding, controlling behavior	2.7	0.6	2.7	0.6	0.772

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[1] Correspondence to: F ERDEM. E-mail: drfeyzanurerdem@gmail.com.