A Qualitative Investigation of How Parents Determine Fullness in their Preschool Children

Abstract

Parental inability to recognize fullness in their children and their encouragement to eat beyond satiety may contribute to overconsumption and excessive weight gain at an early age. To investigate if and how parents determine fullness in their preschool children, researchers conducted 17 focus groups with African American and Hispanic parents of 3–5 year olds from low‐income families (total participants = 103) in Washington, Texas & Colorado. Applying principles of grounded theory to analyze transcripts, researchers discovered that parents determined fullness in their child through a series of events, often triggered by their child stating or signaling that they are full. However, regardless of their child's statement of fullness, parents ultimately used the amount of food left on their child's plate to determine if their child had “eaten enough”, which to parents equated to fullness. Parents reported modifying their expectations of children's consumption and how they determined fullness in their children based on a myriad of factors, including previous experiences and daily circumstances. Ultimately, the vast majority of parents did not believe their child had the skills to adequately self‐regulate intake and determine their own fullness. Outcomes of this study will be used in the development of educational interventions for parents, emphasizing internal and external cues to hunger and fullness.