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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Links between maternal feeding practices and children's eating difficulties. Validation of French tools

subject

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Abstract: The main objectives of the study were to validate a measure of young children's eating difficulties and maternal feeding practices in a French sample, and to assess the links between these practices and children's eating difficulties. Mothers of French children aged 20-36 months completed 4 questionnaires that were validated using a Structural Equation Modelling approach. Links between children and maternal components were investigated using a PLS regression. The Children's Eating Difficulties Questionnaire yielded a 4-dimension solution: Neophobia, Pickiness, Low Appetite and Low Enjoyment in food. The Feeding Style Questionnaire assessed 3 dimensions: Authoritarian, Authoritative and Permissive styles. The Feeding Strategy Questionnaire, designed to evaluate mothers' strategies used to make their child taste rejected foods, resulted in 4 factors: Coercion, . Explanation, Contingency and Preference. The Questionnaire relating to Parental choices when buying food for children presented a 6-dimension solution: Convenience, Weight-control, Natural, Healthconcern, Preference and Price. This study reveals that difficult-to-feed children have a narrow food repertoire (high neophobia and pickiness), and a low drive-to-eat level (low appetite and low enjoyment in food). The main factors associated with the children's eating difficulties subscales were related to maternal attempts to fulfil child's desires, and/or to force children to taste rejected foods.