The Relationship Between Preschoolers' Feeding Behavior and Maternal Feeding Attitudes: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study
Öz
Aim: This study aimed to explore the link between maternal feeding attitudes and preschoolers' eating behaviors.
Material and Method: The descriptive, cross-sectional design involved 298 mothers of 4-6-year-old children from 6 preschools in Istanbul, Türkiye. Data were collected using three tools: a 25-question demographic information form, the MATS (Maternal Attitudes Towards Nutrition) to assess maternal feeding attitudes, and the BPFAS (Behavioral Pediatrics Feeding Assessment Scale) to evaluate children's feeding behaviors.
Results: The study revealed positive dietary habits, with 80.7% of children having regular breakfasts, 57.7% consuming daily fruits, and 66.2% consuming daily dairy products. Interestingly, a negative correlation emerged between positive maternal feeding attitudes and children's picky eating. A moderate positive correlation linked positive maternal nutritional attitudes with healthier eating behaviors in children. Conversely, a positive correlation between "Negative Affect During Eating" and "Forced Feeding" sub-dimensions suggests that pressuring tactics might negatively influence children's eating habits.
Conclusion: This study shows that higher maternal feeding attitude scores, indicating more problematic attitudes, were associated with more problematic eating behaviors in children. Proper timing of complementary feeding was also linked to balanced maternal attitudes. These results highlight the importance of nutrition education to support healthy eating habits in children.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Preschoolers, Maternal Attitudes, Childhood Nutrition, Eating Behaviors, Parental İnfluence
Kaynakça
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