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Mothers' views on portion sizes for children
H Croker1, C Sweetman, L Cooke
1Health Behaviour Research Centre, University College London, UK.
Summary
Parents showed little understanding of age-appropriate food portions for children. Education on child portion sizes needs to be simple and clear, avoiding food weighing, to be effective.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood obesity rates are rising, coinciding with increased food portion sizes.
- Evidence suggests a link between larger portions and greater energy intake, but not a causal link to weight gain.
- Parental practices regarding children's food portions require investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore parents' attitudes, knowledge, practices, and concerns regarding appropriate food portion sizes for children.
- To understand parental perceptions of children's eating habits and portion determination.
Main Methods:
- Four focus groups were conducted with 14 mothers of 8-11-year-old children.
- Mothers discussed their views on children's portion sizes and demonstrated typical servings by weighing five common foods.
- Data were collected via tape recording and transcribed for thematic analysis.
Main Results:
- Mothers expressed no concern about portion sizes and were unreceptive to official guidance, especially if it involved weighing food.
- Portion sizes offered were based on children's perceived appetite, varying by child and occasion.
- Weighing revealed significant variation in served portions, with smaller portions of energy-dense foods.
Conclusions:
- Mothers in the study demonstrated a lack of understanding regarding age-appropriate serving sizes for children.
- Future educational initiatives on portion sizes must be clear, simple, and avoid methods like food weighing.
- Parental engagement in portion control education needs to consider practical limitations and preferences.
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