Volume: 4, 2025
4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: H007
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.H007
Published online: 9 April 2025
ICDSUPL, 4, H007 (2025)
The influence of parents’ nutritional knowledge on the eating behavior of children aged 3–6
Paulina Kawecka1*, Małgorzata Kostecka1
1 Department of Chemistry, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 15, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: paulina.kawecka@up.lublin.pl
Abstract
Children learn their eating habits and behaviors from their family home. Parents’ eating habits will be replicated in the future by their children, and parents’ nutritional knowledge can have a direct impact on children’s eating behaviors at all stages of life and on children’s proper development, their health, and their proper relationships with food. The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of nutritional knowledge of parents of preschool children on the occurrence and intensity of various nutritional behaviors. An original questionnaire consisting of 43 questions and three parts was used. A total of 308 correctly completed questionnaires were obtained and statistically analyzed in Statistica, assuming a significance level of p<0.05. 73% of respondents were women, 85% of respondents lived in cities with more than 100 thousand in habitants. Over 1/3 of respondents were parents aged 35-40, every fourth respondent was aged 30-34, and only 8% were parents aged 18-24. High nutritional knowledge was characteristic of parents living in the city (p=0.002),aged 35-40 (p=0.017) and parents of younger children aged 3-4 (p=0.031). The lowest nutritional knowledge was more often characteristic of parents living in the countryside (p=0.013) and parents from the youngest age group (p=0.037).The greatest difficulties concerned indicating the caloric demand, the correct amount of fluids drunk, the recommended amount of milk and cereal products, and fiber. The fewest incorrect answers concerned the number of meals, eating breakfast, recommended amounts of vegetables and fruits. Children of parents who had high and average nutritional knowledge more often accept new products after several attempts (p<0.05); more often refuse to eat products and dishes they do not know (p<0.05); let us know when they are hungry (p<0.05)and full (p<0.05). Low nutritional knowledge of parents caused their children to more often refuse to eat meals without distractions, not accept new tastes, hold food in their mouths and less often signal the feeling of hunger. The studies have shown that parents of preschool children have average nutritional knowledge, and the main problems concern the caloric value of the daily food ration, recommended sizes of products and sources of the main macronutrients important for the proper development of the youngest. Significant correlations were observed between the nutritional knowledge of parents and the intensity of abnormal relationships with food among children. Lower nutritional knowledge may contribute to the development of feeding disorders, including the intensity of food neophobia.
Keywords: children’s nutrition, eating behaviors, parents’ nutritional knowledge
How to cite
P. Kawecka, M. Kostecka, 2025. The influence of parents’ nutritional knowledge on the eating behavior of children aged 3–6. In: 4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.H007