WIC MOTHERS' FEEDING PRACTICES AND PERCEPTIONS OF DIETARY GUIDANCE

Open Access
- Author:
- Hermann, Noelle Elizabeth
- Area of Honors:
- Nutritional Sciences
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Leann L Birch, Thesis Supervisor
Leann L Birch, Thesis Supervisor
Rebecca L Corwin, Thesis Honors Advisor
Jennifer Savage Williams, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- low-income
feeding practices
parenting styles
childhood obesity
AAP Recommendations - Abstract:
- Worldwide, the prevalence of obesity among children has increased dramatically. Extensive research has examined the influence parent feeding practices have on infant eating behavior and intake patterns. Although healthy guidelines have been established, not all parents and caregivers follow these recommendations. The objective of this study was to examine feeding practices of low-income mothers and the perceptions these mothers have regarding advice they received about feeding their baby. This cross-sectional study included 75 low-income US mothers and their formula-fed infants and toddlers aged 0-2 years participating in Pennsylvania Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Mothers completed a modified version of the Children’s Harvard Service Food Frequency Questionnaire. Maternal weight and height were self-reported. Results revealed that the majority of mothers were white (71%), unemployed (50%), and on average overweight (BMI M=30.3). When asked about feeding advice, 75% and 81% reported receiving enough information from medical professionals and WIC, respectively. Among these mothers, 68% put cereal in the bottle, 49% used beverages to calm their baby, 48% put their baby to bed with a bottle, and only 16% reported that they never encouraged their baby to finish the bottle. The most common reason mothers reported putting cereal in the bottle was to “help baby to sleep through the night.” Food frequency findings revealed the percentage of children who, in the past week, consumed French fries (75%), fried chicken/chicken tenders (59%), ice cream (63%), and sugar sweetened beverages (50%); 20% reported no servings of vegetables were consumed. Reported consumption of these foods did not vary by maternal weight. Findings from this study suggest a disconnect between WIC mothers’ perception that they receive adequate dietary guidance and their infant feeding practices. Additional research is warranted to assess knowledge and to understand the barriers to compliance with recommended practices that promote responsive feeding.