Abstract
Objective
To identify eating occasion-level and individual-level factors associated with the consumption of larger portions in young children and estimate their relative importance.
Design
Cross-sectional.
Setting
Data from parent-reported 4-day food diaries in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008-17) were analysed. Multilevel models explored variation in eating occasion size (kJ) within (n=48,419 occasions) and between children (n=1962) for all eating occasions. Eating contexts; location, eating companion, watching TV, and sitting at a table and individual characteristics; age, gender, ethnicity, and parental socioeconomic status were explored as potential correlates of eating occasion size.
Participants
Children aged 1.5-5 years.
Results
Median eating occasion size was 657kJ (IQR 356, 1117) Eating occasion size variation was primarily attributed (90%) to differences between eating occasions. Most (73%) eating occasions were consumed at home. In adjusted models, eating occasions in eateries were 377kJ larger than at home. Eating occasions sitting at a table, vs. not, were 197kJ larger. Eating in childcare, with additional family members and friends, and whilst watching TV were other eating contexts associated with slightly larger eating occasion sizes.
Conclusions
Eating contexts that vary from one eating occasion to another are more important than demographic characteristics that vary between children in explaining variation in consumed portion sizes in young children. Strategies to promote consumption of age-appropriate portion sizes in young children should be developed, especially in the home environment, in eating contexts such as sitting at the table, eating with others and watching TV.
To identify eating occasion-level and individual-level factors associated with the consumption of larger portions in young children and estimate their relative importance.
Design
Cross-sectional.
Setting
Data from parent-reported 4-day food diaries in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008-17) were analysed. Multilevel models explored variation in eating occasion size (kJ) within (n=48,419 occasions) and between children (n=1962) for all eating occasions. Eating contexts; location, eating companion, watching TV, and sitting at a table and individual characteristics; age, gender, ethnicity, and parental socioeconomic status were explored as potential correlates of eating occasion size.
Participants
Children aged 1.5-5 years.
Results
Median eating occasion size was 657kJ (IQR 356, 1117) Eating occasion size variation was primarily attributed (90%) to differences between eating occasions. Most (73%) eating occasions were consumed at home. In adjusted models, eating occasions in eateries were 377kJ larger than at home. Eating occasions sitting at a table, vs. not, were 197kJ larger. Eating in childcare, with additional family members and friends, and whilst watching TV were other eating contexts associated with slightly larger eating occasion sizes.
Conclusions
Eating contexts that vary from one eating occasion to another are more important than demographic characteristics that vary between children in explaining variation in consumed portion sizes in young children. Strategies to promote consumption of age-appropriate portion sizes in young children should be developed, especially in the home environment, in eating contexts such as sitting at the table, eating with others and watching TV.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-28 |
Journal | Public Health Nutrition |
Early online date | 27 Dec 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 27 Dec 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© The Authors 2021.