title: Maternal feeding practices predict fruit and vegetable consumption in young children. Results of a 12-month longitudinal study.
abstract: This study aimed to explore the prospective relationship between maternal feeding practices and young children's frequency of consumption of fruits, vegetables and sweets, and also child weight-for-height z-scores. Participants were 60 mothers who completed questionnaires when their children were 1 year old and again when their children were 2 years old. Regression analyses were performed. After controlling for availability and prior child consumption of the target food, maternal use of pressure to eat at 1 year predicted lower child frequency of fruit consumption at 2 years and approached significance for lower vegetable consumption. Maternal modelling of healthy eating at 1 year predicted higher child frequency of vegetable consumption at 2 years. Restriction did not significantly predict child frequency of consumption of fruits, vegetables or sweets over time. Child weight-for-height scores at 2 years were predicted by weight-for-height at 1 year but not by feeding practices. The findings suggest that maternal feeding practices can influence child eating at a very young age. Interventions should focus on encouraging parents to model healthy eating to promote healthy eating in children.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia.
authors.forename: Jane E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Paxton
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Brozovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004435:Eating; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D016487:Parenting; D012044:Regression Analysis; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables