Communication on complementary feeding: attitudes of parents versus pediatricians in France

Résumé 0

BackgroundAppropriate complementary feeding (CF) can be seen as a promising strategy to prevent childhood obesity. Children's eating behavior is influenced by multiple factors, but parents play a key role in modelling eating habits of their children. For this reason, parents must be informed and guided properly through the CF process. Pediatricians (PED) interact with parents before and at the onset of the CF transition, they can thus positively influence related parental decisions. With the release of new recommendations in France in 2019, the aim of this study was to inform the communication strategy accounting for the needs of parents and PED.MethodsTwo online surveys were prepared, completion was anonymous and on voluntary basis. PED members of AFPA, the French Association of Ambulatory Pediatrics, (n = 1402), were asked on their attitudes and practices in counselling parents on CF. A representative national sample of 1001 parents, with at least one child under 4 years, was interviewed to investigate their sources and expectations regarding information on CF.ResultsAnswers from 301 PED and 826 parents showed that the importance of CF for the healthy growth of the child was well recognized by all. PED considered as their responsibility counselling parents on CF and parents acknowledged them as the most influential source of advice. However, PED neglected the fact that parents gave almost the same level of trust to their social network when looking for advice on CF. Internet was a well-recognized source of information according to all whatever their status. Apps were also rated as an appropriate communication tool but no such official app exist so far. Diverging from what PED consider useful, parents were interested in practical advice to implement CF, such as recipes' examples.ConclusionsThis study highlights common expectations but also points of divergence between PED's and parents' needs with regards to communication on CF.Key messages PED are an important and reliable source of information on CF for parents, but the influence of parents’ social network is underestimated by PED and must be taken into account. In developing the communication strategy for CF guidelines, both paper and digital tools should be considered. These tools should tackle topics for which parents lack information.