Survey reveals parents are uncertain about children’s dietary transitions
A new survey by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation reveals parents’ underlying concerns around issues like what foods to introduce into their kids’ diets and when.
Parents of children under 24 months old are quite confident that they are feeding them an age-appropriate and nutritious diet—admitting, in fact, that their children’s diets are more nutritious than their own. But a new survey by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation also reveals parents’ underlying concerns around issues like what foods to introduce into their kids’ diets and when.
The survey of 1,001 parents with children from birth to 24 months found that 53% are very confident that they are feeding their child an age-appropriate, nutritious diet, while another 44% are at least somewhat confident.
Despite that confidence, however, some parents expressed concerns and confusion about what they feed their young children. For instance, as parents introduce children to solid foods, 55% of them say that choking hazards are a major concern, with 38% concerned about the potential for allergic reactions. In addition, 21% said a major concern was what foods to introduce, and 24% said when to introduce them. For those with children aged six months and younger, the number was even higher (33%).
One area of concern and confusion was the milestones and transitions from one food to another. Overall, 68% of parents introduce baby foods at about six months or older, 90% introduce solids between six and 12 months, and 79% tend to start cow’s milk at about 12 months.
But there are gaps between when parents expected to introduce certain foods, and when they actually did. For instance, 20% expected to introduce baby foods at 12 months or older, while only 10% did (the majority having done so long before); 17% expected to introduce cheese at 18 months, while only 6% did; and 24% expected to introduce yogurt at 18 months or older, while only 5% did. There were similar gaps for other foods.
Parents also closely weigh advantages and disadvantages of what they feed their children. For instance, the foods perceived as most nutritious, chosen among a list, were pureed green beans (25%), milk (22%), and yogurt (18%). Cheese led the list of foods considered least healthy, chosen by 34%.