Counseling Parents About Child Feeding: a Qualitative Evaluation of French Healthcare and Childcare Professionals’ Experiences and Their Perception of a Brochure Containing New Recommendations

Background: Parents are crucial in establishing their children's eating habits, and healthcare (HCPs) and childcare professionals (CCPs) can provide meaningful and trusted guidance on feeding, especially in the 0-3-year-old period. With the upcoming release of the official brochure containing the new child feeding recommendations in France, this study aims to: 1) assess professionals’ practices and perceptions regarding their communication with parents on child feeding and 2) evaluate their impressions of the new brochure.Methods: A 15-page brochure containing updated child feeding recommendations for children 0-3 years old was developed by the French public health agency. Online semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals (n=21), including 13 pediatricians and general practitioners (HCPs), nine childcare assistants or professionals (CCPs) two weeks after they were provided with this brochure to read. The interview guide was developed and piloted with other professionals (n=3) prior to these interviews. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using an inductive approach.Results: While HCPs and CCPs mostly communicate orally with parents, both acknowledged that the brochure might be a helpful supplement, especially for CCPs to legitimize their advice to parents. For HCPs, giving the brochure to parents may help provide systematic advice and save time during consultations. Professionals serving parents of lower socioeconomic status would prefer a supplement with less text and more illustrations. In general, the messages were perceived to be easily understandable but providing detachable cards to distribute according to the child’s age would facilitate information dissemination and might be more useful to parents. Professionals reported that lack of training, the circulation of contradictory information, and language barriers were common challenges. Professionals suggested that short texts with more references and visual aids could improve the brochure.Conclusions: French professionals welcome the new official brochure as a means to spread updated child feeding recommendations, but it could be modified to be better adapted to their needs of communication with parents and to facilitate the relay of information. Providing updated and consistent information to parents should be considered a priority for public health stakeholders toward increased adherence to new recommendations