Child feeding practices among working mothers and daycare staff in Jakarta, Indonesia: A mixed-methods study

https://doi.org/10.22146/ijcn.110923

Hanna Yuni Setiyaningrum(1), Rita Anggorowati(2), Umi Fahmida(3*)

(1) Department of Nutrition Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia / Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta / Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Food and Nutrition (SEAMEO RECFON), Pusat Kajian Gizi Regional Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
(2) Professional Teacher Education Program, School of Postgraduate Studies, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung / Indonesian Centre for Educational Initiative, Bandung / Early Childhood Care, Nutrition and Education (ECCNE) Working Group, Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Food and Nutrition (SEAMEO RECFON), Jakarta, Indonesia
(3) Department of Nutrition Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia / Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta / Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Food and Nutrition (SEAMEO RECFON), Pusat Kajian Gizi Regional Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta / Early Childhood Care, Nutrition and Education (ECCNE) Working Group, Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Food and Nutrition (SEAMEO RECFON), Jakarta, Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


Background: Child-feeding practices among working mothers and daycare staff play an essential role in children’s dietary intake.

Objective: This study aims to compare child-feeding practices between working mothers and daycare staff. Additionally, the study explores the perspectives of working mothers, daycare staff, and management regarding their roles in child feeding practices to the children.

Methods: Mothers of under-five children (n=124) who used daycare facilities in 11 daycares in Ministry/Agencies in Jakarta and the daycare staff (n=47) were invited to complete the self-administered Child Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ). Qualitative research utilized WeValue Insitu and Perspective Exploration (PEX) involving working mothers (n=3), daycare staff (n=5), and daycare management staff (n=5).

Results: The findings indicated higher scores amongst working mothers on child control (3.20 vs 2.20, p<0.001) and emotion regulation (2.00 vs 1.67, p<0.001) subscales than daycare staff. On the other hand, daycare staff had higher scores on pressure to eat (3.75 vs 3.50, p<0.05), encourage balance and variety (4.75 vs 4.50, p<001), modelling (5.00 vs 4.25, p<0.001), and restriction (4.20 vs 3.40, p<0.001) subscales than the working mothers. The quantitative findings were supported by the qualitative findings regarding the child feeding practices, especially for restriction, encourage balance and variety, and modelling subscales.

Conclusions: The study highlights complementary roles of mothers and staff in shaping children’s eating behaviours and the importance of communication between mothers and daycare staff on the child's feeding practices. Nutrition education is needed, particularly to strengthen aspects of child feeding which are still low in mothers and daycare staff.


Keywords


child feeding practice; daycare; daycare staff; under-five children; working mothers

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/ijcn.110923

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