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"Taking the Snail for a Walk": A Multi-Stakeholder Qualitative Study Exploring Chinese Parents' Feeding Experiences
Jian Wang1,2, Yan-Shing Chang1, Xiaoxue Wei3
1Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, King's College London, London, UK.
Maternal & Child Nutrition
|July 28, 2026
Summary
Chinese parents face challenges in feeding practices for children, adapting strategies to promote healthy eating. They need better support, information, and guidance to manage childhood obesity concerns.
Area of Science:
- Child Nutrition and Public Health
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Family and Consumer Sciences
Background:
- Childhood overweight and obesity are significant global health issues.
- Parental feeding practices critically influence children's eating behaviors and weight.
- Qualitative research on Chinese parents' feeding experiences is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore Chinese parents' lived experiences with feeding practices.
- To identify challenges, coping strategies, and support needs.
- To inform interventions for childhood healthy eating in China.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and focus groups.
- Participants included parents (n=35), teachers (n=16), and healthcare professionals (n=11) in China.
- Data analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, informed by Family Systems and Ecological Systems Theories.
Main Results:
- Feeding is a dynamic, adaptive process, shifting towards balanced routines.
- Parents face challenges: time constraints, knowledge gaps, high expectations, family conflict, and lack of support.
- Parents utilize diverse strategies: knowledge acquisition, practice reflection, and social support seeking.
Conclusions:
- Parental feeding is complex and multifaceted, requiring tailored support.
- Parents need trustworthy information, professional guidance, structured learning, and peer support.
- Contextually appropriate interventions are crucial to support Chinese parents in fostering healthy childhood eating habits.
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