Association Between Mothers’ Perceived Self-efficacy and Nutrition Practices with Children’s Food Consumption in a Low-income Community in Mexico (P04-188-19)

Abstract

ObjectivesDetermine the association between mothers’ perceived self-efficacy and nutrition practices with children’s food consumption. MethodsA total of 45 mothers of school-aged children were randomly selected from a low-income community in Queretaro, Mexico, to participate in this cross-sectional study. Mothers answered a validated questionnaire, consisting on eight Likert-type questions that evaluated nutrition practices, and four questions with a 10 to 100-scale, to determine their perceived efficacy related to the confidence to accomplish certain dietary guidelines with their children. Guidelines included providing a varied diet, giving at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables and to limit the consumption of food with added sugar. Dietary intake of their children was determined using a food frequency questionnaire that included 147 foods in the categories of fruits and vegetables, legumes, dairy, non-processed meat, cereals, and food and beverages with added sugar. Separate univariate regression analyses were done to examine predictors of children’s intake of fruits and vegetables, food with added sugar and the variety of their diet. Significant univariate predictors were included in a multivariate regression model to determine the factors that influence children’s food behavior. Data was analyzed using the software SPSS version 19. ResultsParticipants were mostly housewives (90%) and 80% concluded junior high school. Mothers of children with the most varied diet had higher scores of nutrition knowledge and practices (B = 0.760, 95%CI: 0.096, 1.443; P = 0.027). On the other hand, mothers of children with a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables presented better self-efficacy (B = 0.029, 95%CI: 0.003, 0.059; P = 0.032). No associations were found between children’s consumption of foods with added sugar and nutrition practices or self-efficacy. ConclusionsMothers’ nutrition practices and self-efficacy influence children’s fruit and vegetables intake and the variety of their diet, but did not predict intake of foods with added sugar. Funding SourcesFondo de Proyectos Especiales de Rectoría (FOPER), Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro; Red de Prevención y Tratamiento de la Obesidad, CONACYT.