title: Mealtime Structure and Responsive Feeding Practices Are Associated With Less Food Fussiness and More Food Enjoyment in Children.
abstract: To identify associations between structure-related and non-responsive feeding practices and children's eating behaviors.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional online survey design.
  
  
  
  Parents (n = 413) of 1- to 10-year-old children.
  
  
  
  Parental feeding practices and child eating behaviors were measured via the validated Feeding Practices and Structure and Children's Eating Behaviour questionnaires.
  
  
  
  Associations between parental feeding practices and children's eating behaviors were tested using hierarchical multivariable linear regression models, adjusted for covariates.
  
  
  
  Feeding practices accounted for 28% and 21% of the variance in food fussiness and enjoyment of food, respectively (P < .001). For all other eating behaviors the amount of variance explained by feeding practices was < 10% (P < .001). Key findings were that more structure and less non-responsive practices were associated with lower food fussiness and higher enjoyment of food.
  
  
  
  Overall, the findings suggested that mealtime structure and responsive feeding are associated with more desirable eating behaviors. Contrary to predictions, there was no evidence to indicate that these practices are associated with better self-regulation of energy intake. Longitudinal research and intervention studies are needed to confirm the importance of these feeding practices for children's eating behaviors and weight outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Children's Health Research, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Julia M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Finnane
authors.affiliation: Centre for Children's Health Research, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: elena.jansen@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Children's Health Research, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Banyo, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Kimberley M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Mallan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Children's Health Research, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Lynne A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Daniels
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents
keywords: child, eating behavior; feeding practices; mealtime; parent; responsive feeding; self-regulation