Family Mealtime Research Articles

Fathers’ Perceptions of Their Role in Family Mealtimes: A Grounded Theory Study

This study examines how fathers negotiate the role of feeding with other family members, and how this both impacts and is shaped by the structure of mealtimes. Six separate focus groups. South East Queensland, Australia. Fathers (N = 27) of children aged ≤12 years employed in blue-collar occupations or service industries. Fathers' perceptions of their role in family feeding. Grounded theory. Two major themes were identified: (1) mealtime structure, reflecting various arrangements and management procedures that give ultimate shape to mealtimes; and (2) division of labor, reflecting the work required to bring about such arrangements and how this work is allocated. These themes were interrelated and harmonized to create family mealtimes. Fathers felt that labor was assigned pragmatically; designated roles around feeding within the family facilitated structured mealtimes. Fathers' roles in balancing the labor and structured mealtimes to feed the family require further research attention, particularly across different family structures, to enhance their engagement in and contribution to the family meal environment. Offering cooking programs and meal planning education to fathers may support them in their different roles and enhance efficiency.

Mother and Father Controlling Feeding Behaviors and Associations With Observed Mealtime Family Functioning.

Mealtime family functioning is important in shaping health behaviors associated with overweight/obesity, particularly for preschool-aged children. Parental controlling feeding behaviors (i.e., restriction and pressure to eat), may impact mealtime family functioning and thus be targets of prevention and intervention efforts. The current study aimed to address literature gaps by examining both mother and father self-reports of controlling feeding behaviors, and the discrepancies between parents' reports. Further, the study examined the associations among controlling feeding behaviors and objective mealtime family functioning in a community sample of preschool-aged children. The sample included 27 children between 2 and 6 years of age and their immediate family members. Two mealtimes were videotaped for each family and coded for family functioning using the Mealtime Interaction Coding System, and self-reports of feeding practices were collected using the Child Feeding Questionnaire. Mother controlling feeding behaviors were not significantly related to any mealtime family functioning domain. Father controlling feeding behaviors were only significantly related to interpersonal involvement. However, discrepancies in the use of controlling feeding behaviors accounted for nearly one fourth of the variance in overall family functioning and affect management, with greater discrepancies being related to poorer family functioning. Interventions may be designed to reduce parental discrepancies in the use of controlling feeding behaviors. Future research should consider longitudinal design, using larger, more representative samples, to better understand the impact of parental controlling feeding behaviors, particularly the impact of parental discrepancies in these areas, on mealtime family functioning and subsequent health outcomes.

Improvements in Children’s Feeding Behavior after Intensive Interdisciplinary Behavioral Treatment: Comparisons by Developmental and Medical Status

This study examined changes in child mealtime behavior, diet variety, and family mealtime environment after intensive interdisciplinary behavioral treatment (IIBT) for 52 children referred to a day treatment feeding program. Children fell into three developmental status groups including autism spectrum disorder (n = 16), other special needs (n = 19), and no special needs (n = 17), with some having no known medical problems (n = 22) and some having gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary, and/or endocrine-metabolic problems (n = 28). At pre-intervention and post-intervention, caregivers completed the About Your Child's Eating scale, the Brief Assessment of Mealtime Behavior in Children, and a food preference inventory of 70 common foods (20 fruits, 23 vegetables, 12 proteins, 8 grains, 7 dairy). Mixed-factor 2 × 3 ANOVAs compared each of the 11 feeding outcomes across the two study phases (pre-, post-intervention) for the three developmental status groups. All feeding outcomes except fruit acceptance showed significant improvements from pre- to post-intervention, with no main effects for developmental status, and no interaction effects. Additionally, mixed-factor 2 × 2 ANOVAs compared each of the 11 feeding outcomes across the two study phases (pre-, post-intervention) for children with and without medical problems. All feeding outcomes except fruit acceptance showed significant improvements from pre- to post-intervention, with no main effects for medical status, and no interaction effects. Present results suggest that IIBT is effective for improving a number of children's feeding problems, regardless of their developmental or medical status.

Parental Perspectives on Blenderized Tube Feeds for Children Requiring Supplemental Nutrition.

Families choose pureed blenderized tube feeds (BTFs) over commercial formulas for several reasons, including the ability to provide foods with natural composition, improvements in physiological outcomes, intimate experiences for parental nurturing, and the benefits that come with family inclusion and mealtime engagement. Although dietetic associations cannot, as yet, recommend BTFs, many families still choose to commence them. We aimed to better understand the demographics of these families, their sources of information and support, and the perceived benefits in a community setting to tailor the support we provide these families. Dietitians at a pediatric hospital in Sydney identified 21 children receiving BTFs. Questionnaires that focused on child/parent demographics, parental knowledge, dietetic support, and symptoms before and after commencing BTFs were distributed. Food diaries were also sent. Twelve respondents returned completed surveys. Thematic analysis indicated improvements in general health, emotional and social well-being, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Respondents reported challenges with food preparation, nutrition adequacy, food storage, and prevention of tube blockages. Respondents primarily sought information online from social media and support groups. Likert scale analysis demonstrated positive outcomes for children receiving BTFs. Improvements were noted in general health, growth, nausea/vomiting, reflux, constipation, diarrhea, and social inclusion. Tube blockage was reported, however, and only changed from "never" to "rarely a problem." Food diaries were not detailed enough for analysis. Families continue to choose BTFs and report a range of benefits, accessing much of their information online. Health professionals should recognize this and openly provide support, guidance, and monitoring as appropriate.

P49 The Impact of Sport on Family Meals and Dietary Practices Among Latino High School Soccer Players: A Mixed Methods Study

Background Youth participation in organized sports has been associated with positive health benefits, yet research indicates that youth sport may negatively influence family meals and dietary practices. Research examining family meals among Latino youth is limited. Objective Examine parental social support for healthy eating behaviors among adolescent Latino high school soccer players, including family meal time. Study Design, Settings, Participants Mixed methods using a convergent parallel design with Latino high school soccer players (n = 220; 47% female, mean age = 15.2 years) and a random subset of their mothers (n = 30; mean age 41.5 years). Measurable Outcome/Analysis Multivariate analysis examined factors that influence youths’ perception of parental support of healthy eating and frequency of family meals. Thematic analysis of semi-structured in-depth interviews with mothers explored contextual environment of family meals, perceived benefits, barriers, and strategies to preserve family meal time. Results Latino youth in our study reported eating with family on average 4.6 times per week, with no differences observed by sex (P = .087). Most (74%) perceived ‘parents make fruits, vegetables and whole grains available in the home.’ Among mothers, four major themes were identified: family unity, schedule conflicts, the importance of fresh foods, and family meal time as a priority. Increased family communication was identified by all mothers as a benefit. Mothers described youth's sport and parents’ work schedules impact timing and frequency of family meals. Also, mothers highly valued eating meals in the home to assure highly nutritious meals. Mothers describe planning and prepping meals ahead of time to accommodate sport schedules. Conclusion Mothers view family meal time as an opportunity to reinforce health and nutrition values as well as cultural practices. Recognizing the importance of family meals for Latino high school soccer players is important to preserve healthy cultural practices and family unity. Funding NIFA.

P163 Enhancing Family Mealtime Environments and Routines Among Mexican Immigrant Families Through Abriendo Caminos

Background Shared family mealtimes (SFM) promotes family stability and health. Planning family meals ahead of time, identifying roles, flexibility during transitions and stressful situations, and effective communication are related to reduced obesity risk among youth (Jacobs and Fiese 2007), and improved diet quality (Boutelle, Birnbaum et al. 2003). Enhancing the organization of SFMs among families is a focus of Abriendo Caminos, an extension education program. Objective To examine family mealtime routines among Mexican immigrant families before and after participation in Abriendo Caminos. Study Design, Settings, Participants Data were collected from Mexican immigrant parents (N = 55) who had atleast one child 6-18 years old in a Midwestern state who participated in Abriendo Caminos (AC) during 2017. About half of the families were randomly assigned to the control group and received printed materials related to topics (e.g., nutrition, family routines, physical activity) addressed in AC, and half were assigned to the intervention group and participated in six AC workshops. Data were collected from both groups before the program (T1) and six months later (T2). The Family Routines Questionnaire (FRQ), a sub scale of the Family Ritual Questionnaire (Fiese, Hammons et al. 2012) was used to assess changes between T1 and T2. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Descriptive analyses and mean scores were calculated across T1 and T2 to identify changes in family mealtime routines by group using SPSS 24. Results While at T1 there was no significant difference by group in participants’ family mealtime routine scores (control group, 2.32; intervention group, 2.30), there was a significant difference at T2 (P Conclusion The AC program had positive impacts on family mealtime routines which, in turn, is associated with reduced obesity risk. Combining data from future AC programs can help to further assess the effectiveness of the program in strengthening family mealtime routines among Mexican immigrant families. Funding Iowa State University.

NP7 Effectiveness of Supports for Family Mealtimes on Obesity Prevention Among Head Start Preschoolers: Screening Phase Results From the Simply Dinner Study

Objective While obesity prevention efforts emphasize the importance of healthy family meals, few studies have addressed instrumental barriers to family meals as an obesity prevention strategy. Therefore, our study objectives are to: Phase 1 - test the additive effects of six intervention components reflecting differing levels of supports for family mealtimes; identify components associated with family meals and dietary outcomes in a Screening Phase and Phase 2 - evaluate the identified components as an intervention in a randomized controlled trial in a Confirming Phase. Description Phase 1 (n = 499 children from Head Start/parents) analyses indicated that the provision of healthy meals and cookware/dinnerware sets was most robustly associated with mealtime frequency and dietary quality. In Phase 2, participants in the treatment condition receive two prepared meals delivered weekly by Meals on Wheels for 12 weeks and a comprehensive set of cookware/dinnerware. We have enrolled 58 pilot parent-child dyads (Mage parents = 31.12 years, SD = 7.97; Mage children = 4.21 years, SD = 0.52) who reflect a racially diverse, low-income sample. 75% of parents/27% of children are overweight/obese and 57% of families were food insecure at enrollment. Recruitment for an additional 250 children/parents is underway. Evaluation Given the small pilot, we utilized descriptive analyses of pre-post changes in mean scores, with Cohen's d compared to the control condition noted. The pilot intervention showed pre-post increases in the frequency of eating meals together (d = 0.13), increases in efficacy in mealtime planning (d = 0.27) and decreases in time barriers regarding meal preparation (d = -0.36). Children's body mass index z-score decreased in the treatment and control groups. Conclusion and Implications Preliminary pilot results suggest the provision of healthy, prepared meals may be related to greater frequency of family meals eaten together and improvements in perceived barriers to planning and preparing meals. At the conclusion of Phase 2, study results are expected to inform policy (e.g. where limited resources may be best allocated) and interventions (e.g. supports most effective in promoting family meals).

NP31 Development of the Family Meal Project: A Family Nutrition Ecosystem Intervention to Prevent Childhood Overweight/Obesity

Objective To develop a family nutrition ecosystem program to improve parent-child food interactions, family modeling and family food access by enhancing parent knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy. Description Though childhood obesity is multi-causal, parents help shape children's eating behaviors making them an important target for nutrition education. In the current study, Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) informed the predicted pathways to parents’ health behavior change and the Theory of Diffusion of Innovation informed the planned dissemination of nutrition education information via interpersonal (in-person workshops), mass media (website) and social media. The resulting three-component intervention The Family Meal Project targets family mealtime interactions by applying an empirically supported parenting intervention to parent-child mealtime interactions, while attending to the unique considerations of Latino families representing this growing demographic in the targeted community. Component 1 involves multi-family groups (six, 2-hour sessions) that incorporate principles and strategies from, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), modified for diet behaviors and implemented by Masters level dietetic students. Groups include a family meal (with modeling and coaching), review of the past week, nutrition psychoeducation and goal setting. While parents participate in programming, children join health-related activities facilitated by research staff. Component 2 is a program support website (familymealproject.fiu.edu) available to parents at the start of the intervention and continuously updated to reflect parent feedback. Component 3 is a social-media based nutrition education extension containing food-related messages through Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Evaluation The program will be evaluated during Year 2 using a pre-post intervention design model. Participants will include families (n = 30) with at least one child (4-10 years) recruited from participating elementary schools (90% minority, 95% Hispanic). Repeated Measure ANOVAs and regression analysis will test changes over time. Qualitative data from interviews and focus groups will inform revisions to intervention. Conclusion and Implications We expect parents will exhibit increased knowledge of food and mealtime-related parenting behaviors, increase self-efficacy to provide healthy nutrition opportunities, and enhance their family nutrition ecosystem. Future directions include further testing in a randomized clinical controlled trial. Funding 2018-68001-27552.

Coparenting in the feeding context: perspectives of fathers and mothers of preschoolers.

This study examined how fathers and mothers coparent around child feeding. Father-mother pairs (N = 30) of preschool-aged children (M child age = 4.1years old) participated in joint or group interview sessions. Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (1) couples' division of labor regarding feeding tasks seemed to align with stereotypical gender roles; (2) couples noted that they attempted healthier family eating habits in comparison to families of origin and recognized the influence of extended family on their attempts at healthier feeding; (3) couples agreed on the importance of family mealtime, routines, and healthy meals, yet disagreed on strategies to limit unhealthy foods and achieve harmonious family meals. This study identified processes of coparenting and child feeding areas that were particularly challenging to manage among parents, which could be important targets for childhood obesity interventions. V, descriptive study.

Family mealtime negativity and adolescent binge-eating: A replication and extension study in a community sample

ObjectiveTo explore differences in family mealtime characteristics and family mealtime emotions among adolescents who report engaging in binge-eating in comparison to those who do not. MethodAdolescents (N = 495) recruited from UK schools/colleges reported on their family mealtime frequency and atmosphere, family mealtime emotions, anxiety, depression and eating psychopathology. ResultsNo significant differences were found between adolescents who reported binge-eating (n = 32 boys; n = 82 girls) and those who did not (n = 196 boys; n = 185 girls) on family mealtime frequency or mealtime atmosphere scores. However, boys and girls who binge-eat reported significantly lower levels of positive family mealtime emotions and significantly higher levels of family mealtime anxiety and anger (girls only), compared with their peers who did not report binge-eating. DiscussionAdolescents who binge-eat experience significantly greater negative emotional responses to family mealtimes than their peers. Further research should explore why these experiences are more negative, including broader familial factors and interactions.

The Family Mealtime Study: Parent Socialization and Context During Family Meals

Research on the family mealtime has shown its importance for youths' dietary attitudes and behaviors. Youths who have more frequent family meals often have more healthful dietary behaviors. However, little is known about the context and processes related to how family mealtimes affect youths' dietary behaviors. To address this gap, we examined the context of family mealtimes and parent socialization that occurs during family meals through mealtime observations and interviews. Family mealtimes are valued by parents, and our findings can be useful to Extension professionals in educating parents and families regarding shaping of family mealtimes, feeding strategies, and nutrition.

Parental Participation in a Healthy Lifestyle Program for Middle Schoolers Improves Their Family Meal Patterns and Social Support and Self-Regulation for Healthy Eating (P16-041-19)

ObjectivesThe development and dissemination of appropriate integrated curricula for parents represent a critical need and a novel approach in the obesity prevention field. Our objective was to assess if parental participation in a healthy lifestyle program (PAWS [Peer-education About Weight Steadiness] Club) for middle school students would improve parental anthropometrics, social cognitive theory (SCT) mediators of dietary behavior, and family mealtime frequency and environment. MethodsA total of 42 parents participated in five weekly 1.5-hour sessions, delivered four times from 2015–2017. The sessions were led by a trained research assistant; focused on family fitness, meal planning, family mealtimes, label reading, energy balance, making healthy choices and simple recipes, self-reflection and goal setting. Data on anthropometrics, blood pressure (BP), SCT mediators (social/family support, self-efficacy, self-regulation, and outcome expectations) of eating, and family meal patterns (frequency and environment) was collected from the parents at pre-and post-intervention. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used to determine any changes from baseline to post assessment for SCT mediators of dietary behavior and family meal patterns. Paired t-test was used to determine any changes from pre-to post-intervention for anthropometric and BP measurements. Significance was set at P < 0.05. ResultsOf the 42 participants, 67% were females (mothers); 33% self-reported White and 33% self-reported African American race/ethnicity. Participants significantly improved in their self-regulation for reducing unhealthy foods (P = 0.011), social support for balancing calories (P = 0.007), and family mealtime patterns (P = 0.003) from pre- to post-assessment. No significant changes were observed for anthropometric and BP measures. ConclusionsParental participation in a healthy lifestyle program can potentially improve family mealtime environment and frequency and increase self-regulation and social support for dietary behaviors of the family. These results have implications for planning future health programs with adolescents in schools. Funding SourcesSupported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2012-68001-22032.

Associations between father availability, mealtime distractions and routines, and maternal feeding responsiveness: An observational study.

Responsive feeding and frequency of family mealtimes are related to healthier eating behaviors and weight outcomes in children and adolescents. Distractions at mealtimes are related to greater intake of unhealthy food and a less positive mealtime emotional climate. However, there is little understanding of the effects of routines and father availability on distractions at family meals, and there is limited research investigating the effects of distractions among all family members on maternal feeding practices in toddlerhood. This study aims to characterize distractions at family mealtimes and examine associations between father availability, distractions, and observed responsive feeding. Descriptive analyses, nonlinear mixed models, and path analyses were conducted using observational (home-based family mealtimes) and self-report data collected from a subsample of families (n = 109) of 18- to 24-month-old children in the larger STRONG Kids 2 Study (N = 468). Between fathers, mothers, and children, families spent almost half of the mealtime distracted. Fathers and mothers engaged in about equal amounts of distractions, and children engaged in more technology-related distractions than parents. Fathers' absence at the mealtime was associated with more child distractions and less maternal feeding responsiveness. Lower paternal total distractions, maternal non-technology-object-related distractions, and higher household income were significantly associated with more observed maternal feeding responsiveness. Future research should investigate how father availability and family mealtime distractions may be associated directly and indirectly with children's eating behaviors and weight outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychometric properties of an abbreviated Childhood Family Mealtime Questionnaire among overweight and obese Hispanic adolescents

The current family mealtime literature shows that assessments of the mealtime environment are typically self-report, yet few studies discuss validation techniques or report using validated scales. As such, the current analysis was conducted to validate one of the only published measures to assess the mealtime environment from the adolescent perspective. Specifically, the Childhood Family Mealtime Questionnaire (CFMQ) was evaluated in a sample of 280 overweight and obese Hispanic adolescents to address the need for a validated measure of the family mealtime environment in a demographic that is disproportionately affected by the current obesity epidemic. Results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to evaluate the optimal factor structure, reliability, and validity for a revised, abbreviated CFMQ are presented here. The concurrent validity of the CFMQ was evaluated using correlations between the factor structures and the previously used, culturally appropriate comparable measure of family functioning. Correlations were also computed between factor scores and obesogenic outcomes (fruit and vegetable intake, added sugar intake, and physical activity). Analyses produced a revised, abbreviated version that includes 22 items (reduced from a total of 69 items) and consists of the following 4 factors: family mealtime communication (5 items), family mealtime stress (7 items), appearance weight control (5 items), and mealtime structure (6 items). Cronbach's alphas are reported for reliability. When examining CFMQ concurrent validity with the family functioning latent variable, results showed the family mealtime communication subscale ranked highest. Additionally, the family mealtime communication subscale was associated with all three obesogenic outcomes. This abbreviated CFMQ may be a useful tool for those studying family mealtime environments and their influence on obesity and its associated lifestyle behaviors.

Influence of Family and Social Attributes on Caregivers Feeding Practices in the Northern Region of Ghana

This qualitative study of the influence of family and social attributes on caregivers’ feeding practices explores how socioeconomic and cultural factors affect caregivers’ feeding practices in the Northern Region of Ghana. The study further assessed how mealtime structure, feeding styles, and food availability and accessibility affected caregivers’ feeding practices. Seventy-nine caregivers of children under five years in the Savelugu/Nanton Municipality and Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District in the Northern Region of Ghana participated in eight focus group discussions. The results showed that caregivers fed foods that were available and accessible at the family level. The results further revealed that caregivers adopted the authoritative feeding style and caregivers’ employment, income status and family mealtime structure seem to affect caregivers feeding practices. These findings have important implications for developing strategies to curb the high malnutrition prevalence in the study areas. Providing educational programmes by the Ghana Health Service and their partners would go a long way to improve good feeding practices and improve the health status of children in the study areas and Ghana as a country.

The Family Mealtime Observation Study (FaMOS): Exploring the Role of Family Functioning in the Association between Mothers' and Fathers' Food Parenting Practices and Children's Nutrition Risk.

This cross-sectional study explores associations between mothers’ and fathers’ food parenting practices and children’s nutrition risk, while examining whether family functioning modifies or confounds the association. Home observations assessed parents’ food parenting practices during dinnertime (n = 73 families with preschoolers). Children’s nutrition risk was calculated using NutriSTEP®. Linear regression models examined associations between food parenting practices and NutriSTEP® scores. An interaction term (family functioning × food parenting practice) explored effect modification; models were adjusted for family functioning to explore confounding. Among mothers, more frequent physical food restriction was associated with higher nutrition risk in their children (β = 0.40 NutriSTEP® points, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 2.30, 7.58) and among both mothers and fathers, positive comments about the target child’s food were associated with lower nutrition risk (mothers: β = −0.31 NutriSTEP® points, 95% CI = −0.54, −0.08; fathers: β = −0.27 NutriSTEP® points, 95% CI = −0.75, −0.01) in models adjusted for parent education and child Body Mass Index (BMI) z-score. Family functioning did not modify these associations and they remained significant after adjustment for family functioning. Helping parents to use positive encouragement rather than restriction may help to reduce their children’s nutrition risk.

Development of a Parental Feeding Goal Measure: The Family Mealtime Goals Questionnaire.

It is well established that parents' feeding practices predict children's eating behaviors. However, there has been little research into parents' mealtime goals—their desired outcomes for family mealtimes. These goals, and potential conflicts between them, may be important both in explaining parents' feeding practices and improving children's eating behaviors, as health behavior change is more likely to be achieved by programmes and interventions that are aligned with an individual's goals. The objectives of this study were to develop a reliable and valid measure that captures parental mealtime goals, and to describe parents' endorsement of these goals. Online questionnaire methods were used to design and test the Family Mealtime Goals Questionnaire with 1,140 parents and carers of at least one child aged from 1 to 16 years. Exploratory qualitative analysis, Principal Components Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and test-retest analysis (using intraclass correlations) were conducted to establish the psychometric properties of the instrument. An 18-item questionnaire was produced with seven dimensions: stress/conflict avoidance, homemade food, shared family food, family involvement in mealtimes, price, occasional treats, and high/low fat regulation. Some differences were found in the goal structure of parents of children of different ages but stress/conflict avoidance was the most strongly endorsed mealtime goal for all age groups. The Family Mealtime Goals Questionnaire provides a useful measure of parents' feeding motivations. It will facilitate large-scale research into the relationships between parents' feeding goals and practices and could inform the design of more effective healthy eating interventions that target specific feeding goals.

Interview: The quarterly big interview with Dr Sally Wiggins

Having completed her PhD at Loughborough University in 2002, Sally worked first at Nottingham Trent University, then at the University of Strathclyde for over 12 years. During this time, Sally established herself as a social psychologist with expertise in discursive psychology through a wide range of projects including analyses of family mealtimes, weight management treatment within the NHS, online suicide help forums, and student tutorial group interactions. In 2016, Sally moved to Linköping University (Sweden), where she is currently Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology. In 2017, she released the methods textbook Discursive Psychology: Theory, method and applications. I became enthralled with social psychology thanks to Sally’s undergraduate teaching and was delighted to catch up with her in October 2018 as part of The Quarterly’s ‘Big Interview’ series.

평일 맞벌이 부부의 근로시간 및 가사노동시간, 시간부족감이 부부 중심 가족식사시간에 미치는 영향

평일 맞벌이 부부의 근로시간 및 가사노동시간, 시간부족감이 부부 중심 가족식사시간에 미치는 영향

Dialogical Construction of Parental Feeding Strategies During Family Mealtimes

This study focuses on social interactions during family mealtimes to examine the types of arguments used by parents to convince their children to eat. The results of this study show that feeding practices during mealtimes are dialogically constructed by parents and children together. Parents mostly used arguments based on the quality and quantity of food, adapting their language to the child’s level of understanding. Future research might consider the observations and the subtle qualitative analyses of social interactions among family members as examples of possible ways to recognize the dialogical construction of feeding practices during mealtimes.