Feeding Practices Used by Australian Parents of Young Children Living With Food Insecurity and Household Chaos

Bibliographic Data

ID15535529
AuthorsSmita Nambiar (0000-0002-0626-1119, Queensland University of Technology, corresponding author), Lisa Stanley (0000-0001-8401-612X, Queensland University of Technology), Lauren Stanley (School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health Queensland University of Technology Kelvin Grove, Brisbane Queensland Australia), Lisa M Soederberg Miller (0000-0001-8261-1814, Queensland University of Technology), Lily Miller (School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health Queensland University of Technology Kelvin Grove, Brisbane Queensland Australia), Rebecca Byrne (0000-0002-0096-3320, Queensland University of Technology), Danielle Gallegos (0000-0001-5901-1909, Queensland University of Technology), Robyn A Penny (0000-0002-5002-8998, Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service), Kimberley A Baxter (0000-0001-5180-1455, Queensland University of Technology)
Year2024
Volume21
Issue2
Pagese13770-e13770
Publication date2024-11-25
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMaternal and Child Nutrition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1740-8695 • E-ISSN: 1740-8709
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/mcn.13770
PMID39584781
OpenAlexW4404696782
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited56

Responsive feeding practices are crucial for developing healthy eating behaviours in children. However, chaotic households and financial stress may disrupt these practices. This cross-sectional study aimed to characterise feeding practices among Australian parents experiencing financial hardship. Parents of children aged 5-35 months, who identified as experiencing financial hardship, completed an online questionnaire from October 2021 to June 2022. Validated tools gathered data on feeding practices, mealtime structure and environment, household chaos (HC), household food insecurity (HFI) and sociodemographic characteristics. Bivariate correlations and hierarchical regression assessed relationships between these variables, adjusted for parent age, education and number of children. Data from 213 parent-child dyads were analysed (97% mothers, median age = 31 years, IQR 28-36; 50% boys, median age = 12 months, IQR 8-17). Median HC score was 4 (IQR 2-7). Seventy-six percent of families reported experiencing HFI (median = 6, IQR 3-9). Over 80% of parents often or always ate meals as a family and never or rarely engaged in 'parent-led' feeding (median = 1.75, IQR 1.00-2.50), or used '(non)-food as reward' (median = 1.33, IQR 1.00-2.00). '(Non)-food as reward' was positively correlated with HC (p = 0.016), and 'food to calm' was positively associated with HC (p = 0.004). 'Feeding on demand' was negatively associated with HC and HFI (p = 0.002). 'Persuasive feeding' was not associated with either. Findings suggest that HC had more influence than HFI on some nonresponsive feeding practices. Increasing levels of HC and HFI may result in less structured mealtimes. Interventions must consider how financial hardship, HFI and HC can impact parents' ability to engage in responsive feeding practices. This cross-sectional study examined feeding practices among Australian parents facing financial hardship. Over 75% were food insecure. While the meal environment supported responsive feeding, increasing household chaos and food insecurity led to fewer structured mealtimes and household chaos increased coercive practices such as using (non)-food rewards and food to calm

Bivariate analysis · Cross-sectional study · Environmental health · Food insecurity · Food security · Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues · Demography · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Pediatrics

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