(P27-066-25) Maternal Feeding Practices at Child Ages 6 and 9 Years in the INSIGHT Study

Objectives: Mothers randomized to the Intervention Nurses Start Infants Growing on Healthy Trajectories (INSIGHT) responsive parenting (RP) intervention, delivered during infancy, used more consistent meal routines, and less pressure to eat, food to soothe, and food as a reward compared with safety controls at age 3 years. This analysis examined whether there are sustained effects of the INSIGHT RP intervention on maternal feeding practices at child ages 6 and 9 years.

Methods: Participants were first-time mother-child dyads enrolled in INSIGHT (N=279), a randomized control trial designed to test an early life RP intervention for the primary prevention of obesity. At ages 6 and 9 years, mothers reported structure-based (limiting exposure to unhealthy foods, consistent meal routines) and control-based (pressure to eat, restriction, food to soothe, food as reward) feeding practices. General linear models examined study group effects on maternal feeding practices at ages 6 and 9 years controlling for maternal age and child sex.

Results: Mothers enrolled were predominantly white (89%), married (75%), and college-educated (62%). Among mothers enrolled, 184 (66%) had survey data at age 6 and 131 (47%) at age 9 years. At age 6 years, mothers in the RP intervention reported greater use of consistent meal routines (p=.004) and less use of restriction (p=.048) and food to soothe (p=.048) compared with safety controls. No differences were found in limiting exposure to unhealthy foods, pressure to eat, or food as reward. At age 9 years, mothers in the RP intervention reported greater use of limiting exposure to unhealthy foods (p=.026) compared with safety controls. No differences were found in consistent meal routines, pressure to eat, restriction, food to soothe, or food as reward.

Conclusions: The INSIGHT RP intervention had sustained effects on some maternal feeding practices through child age 6 years, but effects appeared to be minimal at age 9. Given that feeding school age children is substantially different than feeding infants and toddlers, additional support that is applicable to school age children appears to be necessary to promote optimal feeding behaviors.

Funding Sources: National Institutes of Health