Parent-Reported Feeding Practices Associated With Children's Observed Willingness-to-Try-New-Foods in Childcare

Abstract

Feeding behaviours are established early in life, with lifelong influences on children's appetite, growth and health, emphasizing the importance of understanding how parent–child feeding interactions relate to children's eating and growth patterns. The objective was to examine reciprocity between parent-reported feeding practices and children's observed willingness-to-try-new-foods in childcare settings without parental presence, thereby assessing independence from context and parental influence. The sample included parent–child dyads (n = 436) recruited from 51 childcare centres across 10 counties. Parent-reported feeding practices, children's observed willingness-to-try-new-foods and children's height and weight were measured using the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ), a food tasting activity and standardized anthropometric protocols, respectively. Logistic and linear regression models assessed associations between parent-reported feeding practices and children's observed willingness-to-try-new-foods, as well as body mass index z-score (BMIz), respectively. All models adjusted for potential confounders, including clustering within childcare centres. Children's observed willingness-to-try-new-foods was positively associated with parent-reported restriction for weight control, suggesting independence from context. A child-driven interpretation suggests parental perceptions of children's high food responsivity or concerns about excess weight gain and a parent-driven interpretation suggests that children exhibit higher willingness-to-try-new-foods in response to parental weight-related restriction. Children's observed willingness-to-try-new-foods was not related to other parent-reported feeding practices. Child BMIz was positively associated with parent-reported restriction for weight and health and negatively associated with pressuring and giving children control over food intake. Future research is needed to determine factors associated with child and parent-driven interpretations of feeding practices and effective strategies to promote responsive parent feeding practices.