Eating habits formed in early childhood are influenced by parental feeding behaviors, warranting investigation of predictors and correlates of parent feeding. We aimed to describe relationships between parental feeding practices and parent and child characteristics in a sample of Brazilian preschoolers. Four hundred and two parents of preschoolers enrolled in private schools of São Paulo and Campinas, Brazil, completed a Brazilian version of the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire, as well as questions about parental attitudes, child food intake, other obesity-associated behaviors, and socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. We ran bivariate logistic regression models examining associations between independent variables and each feeding practice. Next, we ran multiple logistic regression models predicting each parental feeding practice. Greater ‘Restriction for Weight Control’ and ‘Restriction for Health’ were associated with lower maternal education (OR = 2.42 (CI 95% 1.07–5.48) and 2.79 (CI 95% 1.25–6.22), respectively), and with higher concern about child overweight (OR = 2.46, CI 95% 1.64–3.69 for ‘Restriction for Weight Control’, only), while greater ‘Pressure’ was associated with greater concern about child underweight (OR = 2.30, CI 95% 1.53–3.47) and lower maternal BMI (OR = 0.94, CI 95% 0.88–1.00). Greater use of ‘Emotion Regulation/ Food as Reward’ was associated with lower maternal education (OR = 2.22, CI 95% 1.05–4.71). In analyses of positive feeding practices, lesser use of ‘Healthy Eating Guidance’ and ‘Monitoring’ was associated with greater intake of less healthy foods in children (OR = 1.53 (CI 95% 1.01–2.32) and OR = 1.94 (CI 95% 1.27–2.97), respectively), and greater use of screen devices (OR = 1.59 (CI 95% 1.04–2.44) and OR = 1.57 (CI 95% 1.03–2.39), respectively). Lesser use of ‘Healthy Eating Guidance’ was additionally associated with higher maternal BMI (OR = 1.09, CI 95% 1.03–1.16), and lesser use of ‘Monitoring’ with lesser perceived parent responsibility for child feeding (OR = 1.68, CI 95% 1.12–2.52). Our results demonstrate diverse socioeconomic, anthropometric and behavioral correlates of parent feeding in a large Brazilian sample of parents of preschoolers.

Objective: The present study aimed to identify food patterns among 2–9-year-olds and investigate sociodemographic, anthropometric and behavioural predictors of less healthy dietary patterns.Design: Cross-sectional study. Parents of 2–9-year-olds completed an FFQ and factor analysis was applied to identify dietary patterns. Parents also completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic, anthropometric and behavioural characteristics of parents and children, including parental feeding practices.Setting: Participants were recruited from private schools of Campinas and São Paulo, SP, Brazil, between April and June 2014.Subjects: Parents of 2–9-year-olds (n 929).Results: Two dietary patterns emerged: ‘traditional food’ and ‘ultra-processed food’. Lower maternal education (OR=2·05, P=0·010) and higher maternal weight status (OR=1·43, P=0·044) were associated with a greater likelihood of the ultra-processed food pattern. Lower perceived parental responsibility for adequacy of food group intake (OR=2·41, P=0·020), and lower scores on the parental feeding practices of ‘Healthy Eating Guidance’ (OR=1·83, P<0·001) and ‘Monitoring’ (OR=2·52, P<0·001), were also associated with the presence of this pattern, as was higher child’s screen use during mealtimes (OR=1·61, P=0·004).Conclusions: The present study is the first to evaluate associations between less healthy dietary patterns of Brazilian 2–9-year-olds and parental feeding practices. Our findings highlight sociodemographic, anthropometric and behavioural factors within families that could be used to target tailored policies to at-risk populations.

Background Children’s eating behavior, food intake and weight status are highly influenced by parents, who shape their food environment via parental feeding practices. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between sociodemographic, anthropometric and behavioral/attitudinal characteristics of parents and their 5-to-9 year-old children, and a range of positive (“healthy eating guidance”, “monitoring”) and potentially negative (“restriction for weight control”, “restriction for health”, “emotion regulation/food as reward”, “pressure”) parental feeding practices. Methods Parents completed a questionnaire assessing parental and child characteristics. Parental feeding practices were measured using a Brazilian adaptation of the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire. To test associations between parent and child characteristics, and parental feeding practices, we ran bivariate logistic regression models with parent and child characteristics as independent variables and high (above median) scores on individual parental feeding practices as outcome variables. We then conducted multivariate logistic regression models containing all parent and child characteristics, controlling for child age and maternal education. Results Lower parental perceived responsibility for child feeding, higher child use of screen devices, and higher child ultra-processed food intake were associated with lower scores on “healthy eating guidance” and “monitoring”. Higher parental perceived responsibility for child feeding and concern about child overweight were associated with higher scores on “restriction for weight control” and “restriction for health”. Parental perceptions of low weight and concern about child underweight, and higher perceived responsibility for child feeding, were associated with higher scores on “pressure”. Greater intake of ultra-processed foods, and lower maternal age were associated with higher scores on “emotion regulation/food as reward”. Conclusions Parental concerns and perceptions relating to child weight were predictive of potentially negative feeding practices. Higher scores on potentially negative feeding practices, and lower scores on positive parent feeding practices, were associated with poorer child diet and higher use of screen devices. Parental engagement in the feeding interaction predicted greater adoption of both potentially negative and positive feeding practices. These results support the need for policies and programs to educate parents about child feeding and help motivated parents to promote healthy lifestyles in their children.

Introduction: Children’s eating behaviors are influenced by parents, who are the first nutritional educators. The comprehensive feeding practices questionnaire (CFPQ) was developed to measure feeding practices among parents, but has not yet been validated in Brazil, where child obesity rates are steeply increasing. The aim of the study was to test the validity of the CFPQ among Brazilian parents of school-aged children and propose a new version of the instrument. Methods: Transcultural adaptation included translation into Portuguese, back translation, content validity, testing for semantic equivalence, and piloting. Questionnaire data were obtained for 659 parents of 5- to 9-year olds. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses and psychometric analyses (tests for internal consistency, factor correlations, item-discriminant and convergent validity, and test–retest reliability) were conducted. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a poor fit of the data to the original 12-factor model. Exploratory factor analysis generated a 6-factor model composed of 42 items: healthy eating guidance, monitoring, restriction for weight control, restriction for health, emotion regulation/food as reward, and pressure. This factor solution was supported by internal consistency tests (α = 0.71–0.91) and factor correlations (ρ = −0.16 to 0.32). Item-discriminant and convergent validity tests showed that parents who used coercive practices had more overweight children and were more concerned about their child’s weight (ρ = 0.09–0.40). Test–retest reliability was acceptable (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.45–0.77). Conclusion: Since parental practices are highly culturally and age group sensitive, it is essential to conduct careful evaluations of questionnaires when introduced into specific age groups within new cultural settings. This modified six-factor model of the CFPQ is valid to measure parental feeding behaviors of school-aged children in urban Brazilian settings.

A alimentação complementar adequada e oportuna é essencial para o crescimento e o desenvolvimento saudáveis da criança, sendo a Atenção Primária à Saúde, em especial os Núcleos de Apoio à Saúde da Família, o lócus ideal para o desenvolvimento de ações pertinentes a esta prática. Estudo transversal com aplicação de questionário para mães e avaliação antropométrica de 324 crianças visou desenvolver um escore de inadequações na alimentação complementar e estudar suas relações com variáveis socioeconômicas, clínico-epidemiológicas e nutricionais. Para quantificação das inadequações alimentares foi criado um escore por meio do Método Delphi. Foram observadas altas frequências para todas as inadequações, especialmente na introdução tardia de sólidos (80,2%), precoce de açúcares/engrossantes (78,1%) e precoce de líquidos (73,5%). Entre as variáveis mais significantemente associadas com o escore estão desmame precoce do aleitamento materno exclusivo (p = 0,000) e total (p = 0,005), ausência de companheiro (p = 0,001) e a mãe ser chefe da família (p = 0,025). A utilização do escore identifica situações de maior risco para subsidiar as ações prioritárias da assistência nutricional, especialmente para promover o trabalho matricial.