title: Intergenerational differences in beliefs about healthy eating among carers of left-behind children in rural China: A qualitative study.
abstract: China's internal migration has left 61 million rural children living apart from parents and usually being cared for by grandparents. This study aims to explore caregivers' beliefs about healthy eating for left-behind children (LBC) in rural China. Twenty-six children aged 6-12 (21 LBC and 5 non-LBC) and 32 caregivers (21 grandparents, 9 mothers, and 2 uncles/aunts) were recruited in one township in rural China. Children were encouraged to keep food diaries followed by in-depth interviews with caregivers. Distinct intergenerational differences in beliefs about healthy eating emerged: the grandparent generation was concerned about not having enough food and tended to emphasise the importance of starchy foods for children's growth, due to their past experiences during the Great Famine. On the other hand, the parent generation was concerned about food safety and paid more attention to protein-source foods including meat, eggs and milk. Parents appeared to offer children high-energy food, which was viewed as a sign of economic status, rather than as part of a balanced diet. Lack of remittances from migrant parents may compromise LBC's food choices. These findings suggest the potential for LBC left in the care of grandparents, especially with experience of the Great Famine, may be at greater risk of malnutrition than children cared for by parents. By gaining an in-depth understanding of intergenerational differences in healthy eating beliefs for children, our findings could inform for the development of nutrition-related policies and interventions for LBC in rural China.
authors: The School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. Electronic address: nancytju@gmail.com.
authors: Nan
authors: N
authors: Zhang
authors: Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research (CMIST), School of Social Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. Electronic address: laia.becares@manchester.ac.uk.
authors: Laia
authors: L
authors: Bécares
authors: Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research (CMIST), School of Social Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. Electronic address: tarani.chandola@manchester.ac.uk.
authors: Tarani
authors: T
authors: Chandola
authors: The School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. Electronic address: peter.callery@mancester.ac.uk.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Callery
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002668:Child Rearing; D002681:China; D003469:Culture; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D000066502:Grandparents; D015438:Health Behavior; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000209:etiology; D016487:Parenting; D010290:Parents; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013217:Starvation / Q000266:history; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014171:Transients and Migrants
keywords: China; Healthy eating; Left-behind children; Malnutrition; The Great Famine