Mealtime Frequency Research Articles

Clinical Outcomes of Tube Feeding vs. Hand Feeding in Advanced Dementia.

Dementia is a growing public health issue, with the number of cases projected to triple by 2050 as society ages. Although the American Geriatrics Society recommends careful hand feeding over tube feeding for patients with advanced dementia, an increasing proportion of patients are receiving tube feeding. Although decisions regarding tube feeding are often based on the physician, recent studies have shown that tube feeding has significant implications for clinical outcomes and quality of life. Tube feeding is associated with an increased risk of mortality, pneumonia and the use of restraints. Although tube feeding may reduce caregiver burden, it does not improve survival or nutritional status and incurs significant financial costs. Caregivers that hand feed patients often experience stress, particularly in regions where support services are limited. However, there are various strategies available to promote hand feeding which include environmental interventions, mealtime assistance and caregiver training. Although hand feeding is the most comfortable option for patients, the frequency of mealtimes and financial and mental health impact on caregivers requires the physician to conduct a holistic assessment of the patient when deciding on the mode of feeding for patients with advanced dementia.

Mothers’ reflections on family food habits post pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic altered daily family routines, with the family food environment especially likely to be affected. Little is known about how families have adapted over time. The objective of the current study was to explore how family food habits evolved three years after COVID-19 was designated a pandemic. Mothers participated in an interview between March and April 2023. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. Thirty mothers participated (97% lived in the Central Valley in California; 43% Hispanic). Themes were identified around changes in mealtime frequency, eating habits including snacking, screen time during mealtimes, and weight gain. While some unhealthy habits established during the pandemic improved, others persisted three years later. Maternal snacking, concerns about child weight gain, and overall screen time lessened after the pandemic ended, but child snacking behaviors, maternal weight gain concerns, and screen time during mealtimes continued. This research expands on the existing COVID-19 literature by examining lingering effects of the pandemic on family food habits. Findings may be helpful for health practitioners working with families to understand food related changes post-pandemic, especially those that have been particularly resistant to change.

Protective role of family mealtime frequency against disordered eating behaviors: Racial and ethnic differences

Family mealtimes have been recognized for their positive effect on child and adolescent health outcomes. Frequent family meals have been shown to have protective effects in reducing disordered eating behaviors, but the variability of these effects across different racial and ethnic backgrounds has been less explored. To address the gap, the current study utilizes a sample of 33,417 families with children (ages 6–17) in the United States who participated in the 2022 National Surveys of Children's Health (NSCH). Logistic regressions were conducted to examine the association between family mealtime frequency and the manifestation of disordered eating across youth from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. Our findings revealed that frequent family mealtimes are associated with a lower risk of engaging in disordered eating behaviors in youth. However, there were disparities in the associations between family mealtime frequency and the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors among children from different racial/ethnic backgrounds. Youth who never participated in family mealtimes were at a greater risk of engaging in disordered eating behaviors among those identifying as non-Hispanic Black or of ‘other’ racial groups. In youth identifying with multiple races, the frequency of family was not associated with the odds of disordered eating behaviors. The results provide insights into the nuanced influence of family mealtime frequency on disordered eating based on diverse racial/ethnic groups. This highlights the need for future studies to identify factors associated with racial/ethnic identities that may contribute to disordered eating behaviors in youth to identify the unique needs and challenges faced by families in leveraging the protective effect of family mealtimes.

The effect of adverse childhood experiences on family mealtime frequency: Examining racial and ethnic differences.

Eating meals as a family is associated with multiple positive nutritional and emotional outcomes for parents and children. Although the benefits of mealtimes extend to all families, families of color and those in poverty face disproportional barriers to eating frequent meals together. No previous study has properly attended to the heterogeneity of racial and ethnic groups in the United States when assessing mealtime barriers. Focusing on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), our analyses tested whether an increased number of adversities, and particular types of adversities, were associated with a decrease in mealtime frequency for different racial/ethnic families in the United States. Utilizing a large, nationally representative sample of families (n = 59,963), results showed that higher cumulative ACE scores reduced the number of days a family eats meals together in a given week. For specific ACE items, seven out of nine individual ACE items were associated with decreased mealtimes (excluding parental death and racial discrimination). Stratification resulted in varied associations between accumulated and individual ACE items and mealtime frequency depending on racial/ethnic group. Asian families in particular had greater odds of infrequent meals than other families, while Native American, Alaskan Native, Pacific Islander, and other racial/ethnic families were unaffected by increased ACEs. Results indicate that a family's accumulation of multiple adversities may impede mealtimes by either forcing families to prioritize the management of other stressors or by depleting the physical and mental resources needed to establish a routine. Focusing on family cultural traditions as protective factors may be an area of future intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The ramifications of displacement for mealtime-related activities, practices and dynamics among people affected by conflict in Mindanao, Philippines

ABSTRACT Displaced by war in 2017, internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Marawi City in southern Philippines continue to face severe economic challenges, seriously undermining their mealtime-related affairs. This article examines the extent to which displacement has negatively impacted activities or practices related to mealtime preparation, the actual family meal or commensality and the frequency of mealtimes among the IDPs. Findings were drawn from fourteen IDP couples who participated in in-depth interviews. Results indicate that displacement has caused a serious decline in economic resources, which, in turn, has translated into less participation in meal preparation, decreasing quality and quantity of food served at the meal table, less enthusiastic involvement in mealtimes, and irregular family meals. The article argues that conflict and the displacement it causes impact not only the food itself but all that is related to its preparation and consumption within the household. The study suggests that examining the broader context of mealtime-related activities and practices offers a wider understanding of how IDPs suffer displacement in the context of kitchen and meal table environments.

Climate variability induced household food insecurity coping strategy in Gambella Zuria Woreda, Southwestern, Ethiopia

It is evident that the household food insecurity pattern in Ethiopia is seasonal and is linked to rainfall conditions and it worsens significantly after bad rainy seasons. This paper examines the determinants of food insecurity and coping strategies applied by farming households in times of food shortages caused by climate variability and extremes. Data were collected from purposively selected key informants and randomly selected 145 sample households. The USAID Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) tool was used to collect data from respondents. Temperature and rainfall data (1981–2016) were also obtained from the National Metrological Agency (NMA) of Ethiopia. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, percentage, coefficient of variations, and Binary logit model were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that climate extreme events, particularly floods and drought, have been affecting crop production. About 33.1% and 66.9% of sample households were food secure and insecure respectively. The model result reveals that household food security is significantly determined by the TLU of household, farmland size, age, education level, dependency ratio, and household size. Households practice six consumption strategies to cope with climate variability induced food shortages. These are eating formerly marginal foods, borrowing food or money, relying on wild food, sending household members to eat elsewhere, reducing food portions and frequency of mealtimes, and skipping meals. It is recommended that since households heavily depend on maladaptation coping mechanisms to ensure food security, the regional government should develop and implement context specific adaptation strategies.

FAMILY MEALTIME AND ITS CORRELATION WITH DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

Introduction: Family mealtimes provide an opportunity for healthy interaction among the members of a family. A decrease in mental health disorders has been reported with the increasing frequency of family meals. Objective: Our cross-sectional study aimed to assess the frequency of the depressive disorder in medical students of Karachi and investigate its relationship with family mealtime frequency. This study will help raise awareness about the significance of family connectedness and its relation to depressive disorder. Design: This study analyzed 376 males and females. A self-administered proforma formulated from the literature review, and PHQ-9 scale was used to assess family dynamics and depressive disorder respectively. Place and Duration of Study: The study took place in Karachi from September 2019 to April 2020. Methodology: Proforma was circulated online using the snowball sampling technique. Students who were non-consenting, married, hostel residents, already diagnosed with depressive disorder, taking any psychotropic drugs, or witnessed any emotional trauma within the last one month were excluded. The data was evaluated using IBM SPSS Statistics v20. Results: Overall 93.9% of students showed depressive disorder of various severities. A significant relationship was found between family mealtime frequency and depressive disorder with a p-value of 0.025. Conclusion: Findings suggest that family mealtimes may have a positive influence on mental health disorders and can serve as a milieu for intrafamilial bonding, thus lowering the depressive scores and enhancing mental health.

Face Validity of Observed Meal Patterns Reported with 7-Day Diet Diaries in a Large Population-Based Cohort Using Diurnal Variation in Concentration Biomarkers of Dietary Intake.

In a cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort (United Kingdom, N = 21,318, 1993–1998), we studied how associations between meal patterns and non-fasting triglyceride and glucose concentrations were influenced by the hour of day at which the blood sample was collected to ascertain face validity of reported meal patterns, as well as the influence of reporting bias (assessed using formula of energy expenditure) on this association. Meal size (i.e., reported energy content), mealtime and meal frequency were reported using pre-structured 7-day diet diaries. In ANCOVA, sex-specific means of biomarker concentrations were calculated by hour of blood sample collection for quartiles of reported energy intake at breakfast, lunch and dinner (meal size). Significant interactions were observed between breakfast size, sampling time and triglyceride concentrations and between lunch size, sampling time and triglyceride, as well as glucose concentrations. Those skipping breakfast had the lowest triglyceride concentrations in the morning and those skipping lunch had the lowest triglyceride and glucose concentrations in the afternoon, especially among acceptable energy reporters. Eating and drinking occasion frequency was weakly associated with glucose concentrations in women and positively associated with triglyceride concentrations in both sexes; stronger associations were observed for larger vs. smaller meals and among acceptable energy reporters. Associations between meal patterns and concentration biomarkers can be observed when accounting for diurnal variation and underreporting. These findings support the use of 7-day diet diaries for studying associations between meal patterns and health.

A Study on the Dietary Consumption Pattern of Adolescents and Intake of High Salt Foods and Frequency of Mealtimes during the Coronavirus Disease-19 Lockdown

Background: The lockdown restrictions due to coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 led to increased level of stress and reduced physical activity. The relationship between sodium intake and arterial blood pressure (BP) values in adolescence is well studied. The intake of high-sodium processed foods has increased globally, especially during lockdown. Objectives: The present study aimed to analyze the dietary pattern of adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown and to assess the changes in the consumption pattern of adolescents for high salt foods and the risk of overweight during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methodology: A food frequency questionnaire was prepared to obtain a general idea about the adolescent population’s dietary pattern with relation to high salt foods. Due to the lockdown and social distancing, an online form was created using Google Forms. Seventy-five samples participated in the study and all of them belonged to middle to high socioeconomic status. Results: It was reported that all the subjects added salt in their meals. Adolescents reported consuming 1–3 servings of frozen ready-to-eat foods, papads, pickles, and ready-to-eat packaged foods which are high in sodium content. There was no significant difference observed between salt intake and body mass index (BMI) in the adolescents (P = 0.56), except for the consumption of packaged crisps (P = 0.04). A highly significant correlation was obtained (P = 0.00) between the increase in the frequency of meals and the risk for metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: It was concluded that excess consumption of salt in the long term may cause hypertension and increases the risk of metabolic syndrome. Staying at home and direct access to food during the COVID -19 lockdown has led to the increase in the frequency of meals consumed and which had a direct effect on BMI.

Family Food Environment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, with its cyclical lockdown restrictions and school closures, has influenced family life. The home, work, and school environments have collided and merged to form a new normal for many families. This merging extends into the family food environment, and little is known about how families are currently navigating this landscape. The objective of the present study was to describe families’ adaptations in the family food environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Parents participated in one of 14 virtual focus groups (conducted in English and Spanish between December 2020 and February 2021). Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. Results: Forty-eight parents (81% Hispanic and SES diverse) participated. Five themes and one subtheme were identified around changes in eating habits and mealtime frequency, increases in snacking, family connectedness at mealtimes, and use of screens at meals. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the family food environment. Families shared how their eating habits have changed and that device usage increased at mealtimes. Some changes (e.g., weight gain) may have lasting health implications for both children and parents. Public health officials, pediatricians, and schools should work with families to resume healthy habits post pandemic.

Family mealtime against adolescents’ drinking, drug use, and other risk behaviours. Then and now.

During adolescence, the frequency of family meals may play an important role in both counteracting risk behaviours (e.g., drugs and alcohol use, delinquency, etc.) and in promoting healthy life-styles. Objective. The aim of the present review is to chronologically order and discuss evidence supporting or disconfirming family mealtime’s effectiveness against adolescents‘ risk behaviours. Method. The present work integrated two search-strategies: scientific databanks strategies and retrospective research on sources. Inter-rater quality assessment was applied to obtain three clusters of literature; pioneering studies about nutritional habits, last decades’ evidence, and challenges for future research. Results. Effectiveness of family mealtime in preventing adolescents’ risk behaviours and in promoting healthy lifestyles and positive outcomes is discussed. Conclusions. Open theoretical and methodological questions emerged such as the lack of scientific consensus on how to measure the family mealtime frequency or the need to provide qualitative assessments about the family mealtime experience, among others.

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).

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.

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.

Family Mealtime Frequency and the Effects on Family Member Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Review

Abstract Date Presented 4/19/2018 A systematic review was conducted to determine the influence of family meals on the health and well-being of family members. Results suggest that increased family meal frequency is associated with improved health and well-being outcomes for family members. Primary Author and Speaker: Lauren Lange Additional Authors and Speakers: Emily Katz, Karla Ausderau

The Association between Family Mealtime and Depression in Elderly Koreans.

BackgroundSeveral studies have revealed the frequency of family mealtimes to be inversely associated with depressive symptoms in adolescents. However, there have been few studies in older populations. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between family mealtime frequency and depressive symptoms in elderly Koreans.MethodsThis study analyzed 4,959 elderly men and women (aged 65 years or older) who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Self-administered questionnaires were used to assess depressive status, family mealtime frequency, and covariates. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association using the eating alone group as a reference.ResultsAfter adjusting for all covariates, participants who had family meals 3 times a day had fewer depressive symptoms than the eating alone group; adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were 0.72 (0.58– 0.89) for point depressiveness/anxiety and 0.73 (0.56–0.94) for depressiveness lasting for at least 2 weeks. In suicidal ideation, the OR (95% CI) of eating with family twice a day was significant after full adjusting for covariates at 0.67 (0.50–0.88).ConclusionFamily mealtimes were closely associated with depressive symptoms in elderly Koreans, which suggests that maintaining intrafamilial bonding is important for mental health in an older population.

Determinants of Family Mealtime Frequency for Fathers with their Children

This study recognizes the changes of the father’s role and the importance of family mealtimes as well as examines the individual, family and social contexts surrounding the father’s family mealtime. This study analyzed the trend of the father’s family mealtime frequency and factors affecting them in order to explore the current conditions of their father’s work and family balance through family mealtimes. Data from 492 fathers who have school aged children were collected through an online survey. The overall trend of the frequency of father’s family meals showed an average of 2.4 breakfasts and an average of 3.2 dinners per week. The frequency of the father’s family meals showed statistically significant differences according to the father’s age, children’s school age, dual income, weekly working hours, working flexibility, leaving on-time and the priority of work and family. The analysis of hierarchical linear regressions was conducted to determine factors affecting the frequency of father’s family mealtime to show that the frequency of father’s family mealtime was best explained by father’s working conditions and perception variables. Working conditions such as working hours, leaving work on time, working flexibility were significant variables in regards to the father’s family mealtime frequency. The father’s perception towards parental efficacy, wife’s support, and work-family priority were significant factors in regards to the father’s family mealtime frequency. This study is meaningful in that it provides basic data on policy making for the compatibility of the father’s work and family. Keywords: father, father participation, family mealtime, work and family balance

Family meal frequency, weight status and healthy management in children, young adults and seniors. A study in Sardinia, Italy

Objective: To examine family meal frequency, and weight management as a protective factor throughout life. Participants: Selected by city and by town in Sardinia (Italy), the 522 participants were divided into 162 children (7–11 years), 187 young adults (19–30 years), and 173 seniors (65–90 years). Method: Chi-square analyses were used to compare the frequency of family meals, weight (self-reported and perceived) and healthy management (physical activity, dieting, perceived appetite) between age groups. In addition, multinomial regression analyses were carried out to find associations, with age group as the dependent variable and frequency of family meal, weight status, and healthy management categories as independent variables, adjusted for moderating effects. Results: Significant associations with age variables were observed in mealtime frequency (skipping breakfast and mid-morning snack in adults and lunch in children and seniors), in decreasing self-reported normal weight with age and increasing perceived overweight with age, and in physical activity, dieting and perceived appetite. Conclusions and Implications: The results suggest the protective nature of family meals for adults and seniors, and identify significant associations (and some differences) between age groups. Discrepancies suggest the importance of education about body weight awareness throughout life.

Paternal Lifestyle-Related Parenting Practices Mediate Changes in Children's Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors: Findings From the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids Community Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study examined potential parenting-related mediators of children's physical activity and dietary behavior change in the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids (HDHK) community program. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 45 overweight/obese (mean [SD] age = 39.8 [5.4] years; BMI = 32.4 [3.8]) fathers and their children (n = 77; 58% boys; mean [SD] age = 7.7 [2.5] years). Families were randomized to either the HDHK program or wait-list control group. The program involved 7 sessions. Fathers and their children were assessed at baseline and at 14 weeks for physical activity (pedometery) and core food intake (Questionnaire). Fathers' lifestyle-related parenting practices included; self-efficacy, beliefs, modeling, logistic support, rules, cophysical activity, shared mealtime frequency and intentions. Significant intervention effects were found for cophysical activity and modeling physical activity. Cophysical activity mediated children's physical activity in the intervention ('mediated effect,' AB = 653, 95% CI = 4-2050) and was responsible for 59.5% of the intervention effect. Fathers' beliefs mediated children's percent energy from core foods (AB = 1.51, 95% CI = 0.05-5.55) and accounted for 72.9% of the intervention effect. Participation in the HDHK program positively impacted on fathers' cophysical activity with their child and beliefs about healthy eating which mediated changes in children's diet and physical activity behaviors.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia in preschool children with cerebral palsy: oral phase impairments.

This study aimed to document the prevalence and patterns of oral phase oropharyngeal dysphagia (OPD) in preschool children with cerebral palsy (CP), and its association with mealtime duration, frequency and efficiency. Cross-sectional population-based cohort study of 130 children diagnosed with CP at 18-36 months ca (mean = 27.4 months, 81 males) and 40 children with typical development (mean = 26.2, 18 males). Functional abilities of children with CP were representative of a population sample (GMFCS I = 57, II = 15, III = 23, IV = 12, V = 23). Oral phase impairment was rated from video using the Dyspahgia Disorders Survey, Schedule for Oral Motor Impairment, and Pre-Speech Assessment Scale. Parent-report was collected on a feeding questionnaire. Mealtime frequency, duration and efficiency were calculated from a three day weighed food record completed by parents. Gross motor function was classified using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Overall, 93.8% of children had directly assessed oral phase impairments during eating or drinking, or in controlling saliva (78.5% with modified cut-points). Directly assessed oral phase impairments were associated with declining gross motor function, with children from GMFCS I having a 2-fold increased likelihood of oral phase impairment compared to the children with TD (OR = 2.0, p = 0.18), and all children from GMFCS II-V having oral phase impairments. Difficulty biting (70%), cleaning behaviours (70%) and chewing (65%) were the most common impairments on solids, and difficulty sipping from a cup (60%) for fluids. OPD severity and GMFCS were not related to mealtime frequency, duration or efficiency, although children on partial tube feeds had significantly reduced mealtime efficiency. Oral phase impairments were common in preschool children with CP, with severity increasing stepwise with declining gross motor function. The prevalence and severity of oral phase impairments were significantly greater for most tasks when compared to children with typical development, even for those with mild CP. Children who were partially tube fed had significantly lower feeding efficiency, so this could be a useful early indicator of children needing supplementation to their nutrition (through increasing energy density of foods/fluids, or tube feeds).