Positive feeding practices and food preferences in very early childhood - a primary care obesity prevention program

澳大利亚超重儿童的比例超过1：5且迅速增加，他们成为肥胖成年人的风险大大增加，从而导致疾病、死亡率、医疗保健负担和成本增加。成年人的饮食习惯受到食物偏好和自我调节能力的影响和形成，以应对儿童时期养成的行为。因此，父母在幼儿时期的喂养做法是至关重要的。这项研究旨在表明，在幼儿(6-10个月)中启动和保持积极喂养做法的父母教育和同伴支持计划将(1)促进健康的饮食行为，(2)防止儿童超重和超重。成功的干预措施将为可以在大型初级保健服务中实施的政策和方案提供证据，以装备和支持母亲和照顾者发展信心和技能，以便在幼儿时期引入积极的喂养做法。这与当前社区对幼儿作为健康和福祉的基础的兴趣是一致的。

The more than 1:5 and rapidly increasing number of overweight Australian children are at a substantially increased risk of becoming fat adults resulting in increased illness, mortality, health care burden and costs. Adult eating habits are influenced and formed by food preferences and capacity to self-regulate in response to behaviours developed in childhood. Thus parent feeding practices in very early childhood are critical. This study aims to show that a program of parent education and peer support to initiate and maintain positive feeding practices in very young children (6-10 months) will (1) promote healthy eating behaviours and (2) prevent excess weight gain and overweight in children. A successsful intervention will provide evidence for policies and programs that can be implemented within a large primary care service to equip and support mothers-carers in developing the confidence and skills to introduce positive feeding practices in very early childhood. This is consistent with current community interest in early childhood as the foundation for health and well-being.