Low‐income mothers' feeding goals predict observed home mealtime and child feeding practices_2016.pdf

AbstractBackground Mothers’ goals are important for health behavior change, and engagement in childobesity interventions. It is unknown if maternal feeding goals are associated with observed homemealtime or feeding practices. The objective of this study was to examine the association of fourcommon feeding goals (restrict junk food, promote fruit or vegetable intake, promote autonomy ineating and prevent obesity) with mothers’ observed home mealtime and feeding practices.Methods Low-income mothers (N = 265) of children (mean child age 70.8months) participated in asemi-structured interview about child feeding. A coding scheme was developed and reliably appliedto identify mothers’ feeding goals from transcripts. Mothers’ observed home mealtime and feedingpractices were reliably coded from home mealtimes and a laboratory eating protocol. Motherscompleted a questionnaire and reported demographics. Participant weights and heights wereobtained. Regression models were used to test the association of each feeding goal with observedmaternal practices, controlling for covariates.Results The goal of restricting junk food was associated with the child always eating at a table (OR2.87, 95% CI (1.39–5.96) p = 0.005), but not with the mother restricting junk food. The goal ofpromoting fruit or vegetable intake was associated with observationally promoting vegetables (OR1.41, 95% CI (1.09–1.84), p = 0.01). The goals of promoting autonomy and preventing obesity werenot associated with any observed maternal home mealtime or feeding practices.Conclusions While mothers’ goals to restrict junk food and promote fruit or vegetable intake wereassociated with observed home mealtime and feeding practices, promoting autonomy andpreventing obesity were not. Increased understanding of why low-income mothers may nottranslate certain feeding goals into practices may inform childhood obesity interventions.