Maternal perception of causes and consequences of sibling differences in eating behaviour

OBJECTIVE: To explore mothers’ perceptions of differences between their children in the eating behaviour domain. METHODS: Twelve semi-structured interviews were carried out with mothers who had at least two children aged between 6 and 15 years, to discuss feeding experiences, particularly around healthy eating. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and analysed using Framework Analysis. RESULTS: Mothers frequently identified differences in appetite and food preferences between their children, which they attributed largely to genetic factors. These sibling differences meant that although feeding goals might be common, the pathways to the goals varied depending on each child’s appetitive characteristics. The overall pattern was one of flexible responsiveness to each child. In contrast to perceptions of their own children’s eating behaviours, feeding difficulties in other families were usually attributed to lack of parental control. CONCLUSION: The feeding relationship is complex and interactive, resulting in parents modulating their feeding strategies to match each child’s eating behaviour. Guidance to parents on healthy feeding needs to acknowledge the nuanced and interactive nature of feeding practices.