Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Parental perceptions of feeding practices in five European countries: an exploratory study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 61, pages 946–956 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To gain an insight into parental perceptions of infant feeding practices in five European countries.

Design:

An exploratory investigation using focus group discussions. Various aspects addressed included social and cultural setting for the consumption of food, infant feeding practice and behaviour, consumer health awareness and sources of information, and attitudes towards a healthy infant diet.

Setting:

Focus group participants were recruited from centres in five countries, Germany, Italy, Scotland, Spain and Sweden, with three focus groups being conducted in each centre.

Subjects:

A total of 108 parents with infants up to the age of 12 months participated in focus group discussions across these centres.

Methods:

Focus groups were conducted with participants from centres in five countries.

Results:

The majority of parents in this study chose to initiate breastfeeding and prepare infant food at home. Parents did not strictly adhere to infant feeding guidelines when introducing complementary foods into their infant's diets. There were cross-cultural differences in sources of information on infant feeding practice with the paediatrician in Germany, Italy and Spain. The health visitor in Scotland and the child welfare clinics in Sweden were the most popular sources.

Conclusions:

A number of cultural differences and similarities in attitudes towards infant feeding practice were revealed. This makes European wide approaches to promoting healthy infant feeding difficult as different infant feeding practices are influenced not only by parental perceptions but also by advice from health professionals and feeding guidelines. Further data need to be available on parents' attitudes and beliefs towards infant feeding practice to investigate further the rationale for differing beliefs and attitudes towards infant feeding practice.

Sponsorship:

EU Fifth Framework QLRT 2002 02606.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abel S, Park J, Tipene-Leach D, Finau S, Lennan M (2001). Infant care practices in New Zealand: a cross-cultural qualitative study. Social Sci Med 53, 1135–1148.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Adair LS, Popkin BM, Guilkey DK (1993). The duration of breast-feeding: how is it affected by biological, sociodemographic, health sector, and food industry factors? Demography 30, 63–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson ES, Jackson A, Wailoo MP, Petersen SA (2002). Child care decisions: parental choice or chance? Child: Care Health Dev 28, 391–401.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson AS, Gutherie CA, Alder EM, Forsyth S, Howie PW, Williams FLR (2001). Rattling the plate-reasons and rationales for early weaning. Health Edu Res 16, 471–479.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barbour RS, Kitzinger J (1999). Developing focus group research: politics, theory and practice. In: Kitzinger J, Barbour R (eds). Sage Publications Ltd: London, pp 1–21.

  • Bramhagen A-C, Axelsson I, Hallström I (2006). Mothers’ experiences of feeding situations – an interview study. J Clin Nursing 15, 29–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Danowski L, Gargiula L (2002). Attitudes and practices regarding the introduction of complementary foods and infants. Family Practice 19, 698–702.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Department of Health (1994). Weaning and the Weaning Diet. Report of Health and Social Subjects. Department of Health 45. HMSO: London.

  • Department of Health (2003). Infant Feeding. Department of Health: London.

  • Fabian HM, RÃ¥destad IJ, Waldenström U (2005). Childbirth and parenthood education classes in Sweden. Women's opinion and possible outcomes. Acta Obstetr Gynecol Scand 84, 436–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagerli RA, Wandel M (1999). Gender differences in opinions and practices with regard to a ‘healthy diet’. Appetite 32, 171–190.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fewtrell MS, Lucas A, Morgan JB (2003). Factors associated with weaning in full term and preterm infants. Arch Dis Childhood Fetal Neonatal Edition 88, F296–F301.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Foote KD, Marriott LD (2003). Weaning of infants. Arch Dis Childhood 88, 488–492.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman V, Hof Mv, Haschke F, Euro-growth Study Group (2000). Patterns of Milk and Food Intake in infants from Birth to Age 36 Months: The Euro-Growth Study. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 31 (Suppl 1), S76–S85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galtry J (2003). The impact on breastfeeding of labour market policy and practice in Ireland, Sweden and the USA. Soc Sci Med 57, 167–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gijsbers B, Mesters I, Knottnerus A, Legtenberg AHG, Van Schayck CP (2005). Factors influencing breastfeeding practices and postponement of solid food to prevent allergic disease in high-risk children: results from an explorative study. Patient Edu Counseling 57, 15–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greiner T (1993). Breastfeeding and maternal employment: another perspective. J Hum Lactation 9, 214–215.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kannan S, Carruth BA, Skinner J (1999). Infant feeding practices of Anglo American and Asian Indian American mothers. J Am College Nutr 18, 279–286.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kitzinger J, Barbour R (1999). The challenge and promise of focus groups. In: Kitzinger J, Barbour R (eds). Developing Focus Group Research. Sage Publications Ltd: California.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krueger R (1994). Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research, 2nd edn. Sage Publications Ltd: California.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krueger RA (1998). Analysing and reporting focus group results Focus group kit. vol, 6. Sage: London.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kruger R, Gericke GJ (2003). A qualitative exploration of rural feeding and weaning practices, knowledge and attitudes on nutrition. Public Health Nutr 6, 217–223.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lappalainen R, Kearney J, Gibney M (1998). A pan EU survey of consumer attitudes to food, nutrition and health: an overview. Food Qual Preference 9, 467–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lazzaro E, Anderson J, Auld G (1995). Medical professionals’ attitudes toward breastfeeding. J Hum Lactation 11, 97–101.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mahon-Daly P, Andrews GJ (2002). Liminality and breastfeeding: women negotiating space and two bodies. Health Place 12, 61–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michaelsen KF, Weaver L, Branca F, Robertson A (2000). Feeding and Nutrition of Infants and Young Children in the WHO European Region with Emphasis on Former Soviet Countries. Guidelines for the WHO European Region. Copenhagen, Denmark. WHO Regional Publications, European Series, No. 87.

  • McKinley MC, Lowis C, Robson PJ, Wallace JMW, Morrissey M, Moran A et al. (2005). It's good to talk: children's views on food and nutrition. Eur J Clin Nutr 57, 542–551.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reeve JR, Gull SE, Johnson MH, Hunter S, Streather M (2004). A preliminary study on the use of experimental learning to support women's choices about infant feeding. Eur J Obstetr Gynecol Reprod Biol 113, 199–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sellen DW (2001). Comparison of infant feeding patterns reported for nonindustrial populations with current recommendations. J Nutr 131, 2707–2715.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weber RP (1990). Basic Content Analysis 2nd edn. Newbury Park, CA.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (2001). Global strategy for infant and young child feeding. The optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding (A54/INF.DOC./4.) May 2001.

  • Wright CM, Parkinson KN, Drewett RF (2004). Why are babies weaned early? Data from a prospective population based cohort study. Arch Dis Child 89, 813–816.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to the focus group moderators who contributed to this research: Valentina Violi (Modena), Miguel Angel Rodriguez (Granada) and Annelie Jonsson (Stockholm)). Those who enabled the focus group discussions to take place (University Children's Hospital, Düsseldorf; City Hall (Castel ne Monti, Modena); Nurseries and Crèches (Glasgow); Faculty of Marketing and Economics, University of Granada (Granada); and BVC Children's Healthcare Centres (Stockholm) all focus group participants who gave their time and valued opinions and all colleagues of INFABIO who gave their input and support for this paper. Finally, we thank Horst Schroten, Ivonne Bloâfeld and Caroline Martin. The INFABIO project is funded by the EU Fifth Framework. This study project was carried out with financial support from the Commission of the European Communities, specific RTD programme ‘Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources’, Key Action 1, ‘Food, Nutrition and Health’. It does not necessarily reflect its views and in no way anticipates the Commission's future policy in this area.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Business and Development, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    K Synnott & J Bogue

  2. Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Human Nutrition, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    C A Edwards, J A Scott & S Higgins

  3. Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    E Norin

  4. Department of Marketing and Economics, University of Granada, Granada, Spain

    D Frias

  5. Department of Paediatrics, Azienda Ospedaliera S Maria Nuova di Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

    S Amarri

  6. Department of General Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University Children's Hospital, Düsseldorf, Germany

    R Adam

Authors
  1. K Synnott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J Bogue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C A Edwards
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J A Scott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. S Higgins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. E Norin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. D Frias
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. S Amarri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. R Adam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J Bogue.

Additional information

Guarantor: J Bogue.

Contributors: KS was responsible for the execution of the study, moderator training, data analysis and preparation of the paper. JB was responsible for the study design, the development of focus group training materials and paper preparation. CE assisted in the study design and commented on the paper. JS assisted in revision and writing of the paper. SH, EN, DF, SA and RA were responsible for coordination of the focus groups in the different centres and assisted in revision of the paper.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Synnott, K., Bogue, J., Edwards, C. et al. Parental perceptions of feeding practices in five European countries: an exploratory study. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 946–956 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602604

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602604

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links