Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, United States of America.
Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, United States of America.
Eat Behav. 2021 Jan;40:101465. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2020.101465. Epub 2020 Nov 27.
Picky eating (PE) behavior is common in early childhood, but persistent PE is associated with unhealthy development and caregiver-child stress during feeding. Identifying modifiable feeding and parent-child relationship factors that impact PE is important for decreasing risks associated with PE.
This study examined associations between caregiver Feeding Responsiveness (FR) and child PE behaviors using caregiver reports and observations of family mealtimes. An additional aim examined whether children's attachment behavior moderates this association.
The analysis sample consisted of 110 families participating in a larger longitudinal study of nutrition and child health. Home observations were conducted when children were 18-24 months (52% females) to assess caregiver-child interactions. Caregivers were, on average, 30.9 years old and mostly White (73.6%). Family mealtimes were videotaped and coded for FR and child PE behaviors. Caregivers completed surveys regarding FR and PE behaviors.
Caregiver-reported FR was significantly correlated with observed FR, r (107) = 0.26, p = 0.007; and caregiver-reported PE was associated with observed PE, r (107) = 0.21, p = 0.029. Caregiver-reported FR was inversely related to observed PE, but only when children were characterized by observers to have more positively toned and smooth interactions with caregivers. Using observational data, child attachment significantly moderated the relationship between FR and PE behaviors.
The quality of caregiver-child interactions may impact the degree to which FR is effective in reducing PE. Future longitudinal studies that include more diverse populations, multiple caregivers, and potential mechanisms accounting for these associations are needed.
挑食（PE）行为在幼儿中很常见，但持续的 PE 与喂养期间不健康的发育和照顾者-儿童压力有关。确定影响 PE 的可改变喂养和亲子关系因素对于降低与 PE 相关的风险很重要。
本研究使用照顾者对家庭用餐时间的报告和观察，检查照顾者喂养反应性（FR）与儿童 PE 行为之间的关联。另一个目的是检验儿童依恋行为是否调节这种关联。
分析样本包括 110 个参与营养和儿童健康的更大纵向研究的家庭。当孩子 18-24 个月大时（52%为女性）进行家庭观察，以评估照顾者-儿童互动。照顾者的平均年龄为 30.9 岁，大多数为白人（73.6%）。家庭用餐时间被录像并编码为 FR 和儿童 PE 行为。照顾者完成了关于 FR 和 PE 行为的调查。
照顾者报告的 FR 与观察到的 FR 显著相关，r（107）=0.26，p=0.007；照顾者报告的 PE 与观察到的 PE 相关，r（107）=0.21，p=0.029。当孩子与照顾者的互动具有更积极和流畅的特点时，照顾者报告的 FR 与观察到的 PE 呈负相关。使用观察数据，儿童依恋显著调节了 FR 和 PE 行为之间的关系。
照顾者-儿童互动的质量可能会影响 FR 减少 PE 的程度。需要进行未来的纵向研究，包括更多样化的人群、多个照顾者以及解释这些关联的潜在机制。
