Nutri-Bébé 2013 Study Part 2. How do French mothers feed their young children?

Abstract

Nutri-Baby SFAE 2013 is the 5th edition of a survey conducted every 8 years since 1981 by SFAE (Secteur Français des Aliments de l'Enfance) in collaboration with an opinion poll institute (SOFRES) for the feeding behavior part of the study and with CREDOC for calculating nutrient intake: 1,188 mothers of infants and young children from 15 days to 3 years of age were interviewed in 2013. The present paper is limited to the behavioral part of the investigation on the observance by mothers of pediatric recommendations. Overall, the "2013 mother" is self-confident (76% declare being confident in their experience and instinct). They are aware of the recommendations of healthcare professionals, but the family circle is also influential. Although growing-up milk is more widely consumed than in 2005 (+8%), cow's milk (half-skimmed and not whole milk), even if it is introduced 2 months later than in 2005, is still consumed by 34% of children at 12-17 months of age and by 64% of 24 - to 29-month-old children. Milk is still frequently warmed up in a microwave oven. Breastfeeding mothers or those who breastfed more frequently give growing-up milk and home-cooked foods and afterwards their children refuse different foods less frequently. Adult foods that are not adapted for children are introduced too early. Foods in morsels are proposed very late. Fried foods and sweet foods appear too early in infant meals. Consumption of infant formulas and specific baby foods is increasing, but at around 1 year of age a decrease in the consumption of these adapted foods is observed.