The Relationships between Maternal Feeding Practices and Food Neophobia and Picky Eating

Abstract

Food neophobia and picky eating (FNPE) are dietary behaviors that have been frequently reported to coexist in children. Parental concerns about these dietary behaviors may influence the feeding practices employed. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the bidirectional associations of maternal feeding practices with children’s FNPE behaviors. Using a convenience sampling technique, mothers of 195 healthy children aged 1–7 years were invited to complete a sociodemographic questionnaire, rate their child’s FNPE, and rate the extent to which each feeding practice was employed with the child. Maternal reports indicated that 37.4% (n = 73) of the children exhibited severe FNPE. Multiple linear regression analyses showed positive two-way associations between the “pressure to eat” feeding strategy and FNPE, and negative two-way associations between a healthy home food environment and FNPE. However, maternal practices of teaching and monitoring were not found to be associated with FNPE. Given the bidirectional relationships observed between FNPE and maternal feeding practices, primary health care providers should address the feeding practices used with a child and indicate that coercive feeding practices are counterproductive. Intervention studies targeting mothers of children with FNPE are needed to investigate whether specific maternal practices are more effective than others.

Are Maternal Feeding Practices and Mealtime Emotions Associated with Toddlers’ Food Neophobia? A Follow-Up to the DIT-Coombe Hospital Birth Cohort in Ireland

“…Our study reported that maternal coaxing of the toddler to eat at food refusal was positively related to higher children food neophobia. Such a finding was consistent with Cassells et al [ 11 ] and Hebah [ 10 ] that maternal coercive eating strategies such as pressure to eat were common among children who expressed food neophobia. Parental prompting to eat was found to be associated with toddler’s food refusal [ 12 ].…”

“…For instance, a study conducted among three to twelve year old children showed that mothers with children high in food neophobia used more controlling feeding strategies [ 9 ]. Both studies conducted in children aged three to five years [ 8 ] and children aged one to seven years [ 10 ] reported that maternal pressuring to eat was associated with children’s food neophobia. Studies about children’s food neophobia have focused on preschoolers and older children.…”

Nutrient Intakes of Children: Associations with Maternal Use of Pressure to Eat and a Healthy Home Food Environment

“…This study has some limitations. Given the bidirectional relationship between maternal and child feeding [ 17 ], and due to the nature of our study design, the findings of the present study cannot infer causality. Prospective studies are warranted to investigate the long-term effect of the employed feeding practices on child nutrient intake and diet quality and to identify the direction of the associations.…”

“…Maternal use of PE and offering a HHFE have been reported to be associated with eating behaviors of children in Saudi Arabia [ 17 ]. However, the relationships with the dietary intakes of Saudi children have not been previously explored.…”

“…Many studies have focused on the maternal role in child feeding given that mothers are often recognized as the parent responsible for child feeding, particularly in the Arab countries [ 13 , 17 , 25 , 26 ]. Unexpectedly, our data indicated that approximately half of the fathers participate in child feeding, and paternal education level, residency at child home, and involvement in feeding were associated with greater maternal use of a HHFE.…”