Maternal Feeding Goals Described by Low-Income Mothers

Objective: To identify maternal feeding goals and examine associations of number and type of goals with mother and child characteristics.

Design: Qualitative interviews about child feeding and quantitative assessment of goal prevalence and associations with mother and child characteristics.

Setting: Southeastern Michigan.

Participants: A total of 287 low-income mothers (31% Hispanic or non-white) and their children ages 4 to 8 years.

Main outcome measure: Maternal feeding goals.

Analysis: Themes were generated using the constant comparative method, individual interviews were coded, and the prevalence of feeding goals was determined. Regression analyses examined associations of mother and child characteristics with the number and type of feeding goals.

Results: Thirteen maternal feeding goals were identified. The most prevalent were to restrict less nutrient-dense food (60%), promote autonomy around eating (54%), prevent obesity (53%), and promote fruits or vegetables (52%). A child who was female and heavier with an older, non-Hispanic white, more educated mother with less chaos in the home predicted more maternal feeding goals (all P < .05). Specific maternal and child characteristics were associated with individual feeding goals.

Conclusions and implications: Depending on their current goals for child feeding, some mothers may benefit from interventions focused on goal development, whereas other mothers may benefit from interventions designed to facilitate goal implementation.