Nourish - Your child's future health today

Nourish is the name of  the study being undertaken at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT)and Flinders University in South Australia to evaluate how positive early feeding practices can influence the food preferences and dietary intakes in very young children. It is being led by Professor Lynne Daniels and Dr Anthea Magarey.

There is emerging evidence linking parenting style to early feeding practices which in turn influence child feeding behaviour and weight status (1). Early child eating patterns and behaviours lay the foundation for eating habits for life (2). Current feeding practices evolved in a time of food scarcity while today, the major issue is food excess. This has influenced how we encourage babies to eat and may have a major impact on the risk of obesity later in life.

The five key themes covered in the study are 1. Learning to Like; Liking to Eat - teaching children to try  and  like new foods by repeatedly offering them (3) 2. Parent Provide; Child Decide - parents provide nutritious foods with the child deciding if and how much they will eat (4) 3.Early Feeding Habits Track to Adulthood 4.Set a Good Example - babies model parent's behaviour so parents must be good role models 5. Relationship Between Parent and Child is Important - parents to use an authoritative parenting style (as opposed to an authoritarian style)  that sets limits and is responsive to the child's cues and skills (5)

The project is being funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council ( NH&MRC). The H.J. Heinz Co. Australia Ltd is providing sponsorship for a Post-Doctoral Fellow for 4 years to support research in early feeding at QUT, including this important study.

References:

1. Ventura AK BL. Does parenting affect children's eating and weight status? International Journal of Behavourial Nutrition and Physical Activity 2008;5:15-44

2. Birch L. Child feeding practices and etiology of obesity. Obesity 2006;14:343-44

3. Birch L. Development of food preferences. Annual Review of Nutrition 1999;19:41-62

4. Satter E. Child of Mine. Feeding with love and good sense. Boulder, Colorado: Bull Publishing Co, 2000

5. Patrick H, Nicklas TA et al. The benefits fo authoritative feeding style: caregiver feeding styles and children's food consumption patterns. Appetite 2005;44:243-249

Comments

[Kathryn]

I am taking part in this study and it is a fantastic learning opportunity. I advise anyone who is offered the chance to take part in it to jump at it. I have learnt so much about what to feed my son and when. Thank you Nourish.