“We don't snack” : attitudes and perceptions about eating in-between meals amongst caregivers of young children

Jacquier, Emma and Gatrell, Anthony Charles and Bingley, Amanda Faith (2017) “We don't snack” : attitudes and perceptions about eating in-between meals amongst caregivers of young children. Appetite, 108. pp. 483-490. ISSN 0195-6663

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Abstract

Objective Little is known about caregiver attitudes and perceptions towards snacking by toddlers and preschool children outside of the U.S. This qualitative study examined caregiver attitudes and perceptions towards the provision of both foods and beverages in-between meals, along with what constitutes a snack, or snacking occasion, amongst Swiss caregivers. Study design, setting and participants This qualitative study used in-depth, in-home interviews (n = 17) conducted with caregivers (16 = female, 3 = male, ages = 20-46y, low to high income). The “Food Choice Process Model” was used as a theoretical framework. Interviews explored experiences, attitudes and perceptions about the provision of foods and beverages to children in-between meals (1-5y). Interview transcripts underwent a thematic analysis and key themes were developed from the data. Results Five key themes were identified; 1) Timing is everything, 2) Location + food type = snacking, 3) Snacks are junk 4) Snacks are small 5) Not in front of the children. The time at which young children were fed, the location, the food type and the portion size delineated how caregivers conceptualised snacking. Feeding children at 10am and 4pm was not viewed as snacking, nor was providing milk before bedtime. Conclusions and Implications Eating in-between meals and snacking may be perceived by caregivers as different concepts and vary according to culture, contexts, time of day, food type and location. Findings highlight some agreement with similar studies conducted in the U.S. but also provide new insights into how the consumption of foods and beverages in-between meals may vary between geographic settings. Findings indicate opportunities for better defining “snacking” within nutrition study design and how this may inform dietary intake data interpretation.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Appetite
Additional Information:
This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Appetite. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Appetite, 108, 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2016.11.003
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3200
Subjects:
?? snackingpreschool childrensnack definitionnutritionqualitativepsychology(all)nutrition and dietetics ??
ID Code:
82624
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
04 Nov 2016 12:00
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
31 Dec 2023 00:45