Feeding practices of families with preschoolers in colombia and USA: A cross-cultural multiple case study

The etiology of childhood nutrition outcomes is multifactorial. Understanding factors influencing childhood nutrition is important. This cross-cultural multiple case study is an advanced mixed-method that aimed to identify the differences and similarities among feeding practices of parents and teachers, children’s eating behaviors, child’s temperament and relationship inputs of parents and teachers with Latino preschoolers in Colombia and the U.S. The study held two cases: the U.S. case (n=140 children) that were investigated at the Educare/Head Start/Early Head Start child centers in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska; and the Colombia case (n=316 children) that were investigated at childcare centers of the Zero to Always (De Cero a Siempre) program in Barranquilla, Luruaco and Soledad, Atlántico. Each case conducted a convergent parallel design. Quantitative findings. When adult-child relationships is moderator, instrumental feeding and conflict predicted children’s food responsiveness reported by parents and teachers. Additionally, closeness predicted children’s food responsiveness and conflict predicted children’s satiety rated by teachers. When temperament is moderator, negative affect and conflict predicted food children’s responsiveness to food reported by parents and teachers, and satiety rated by teachers. Moreover, children’s satiety was predicted by negative affect and closeness reported by parents. Finally, none of the models were significant for the U.S. Qualitative findings. Control over eating and pressure to eat were the common feeding practices for Colombian teachers and parents. For the U.S., healthy environment and monitoring were the common parental feeding practices. U.S teachers tended to engage less controlling practices like monitoring, encouragement to eat, and teaching about nutrition