Year
2025
Season
Fall
Paper Type
Doctoral Dissertation
College
Brooks College of Health
Degree Name
Doctor of Clinical Nutrition (DCN)
Department
Nutrition & Dietetics
NACO controlled Corporate Body
University of North Florida. Department of Nutrition & Dietetics
Committee Chairperson
Dr. Zhiping Yu, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND
Second Advisor
Dr. Jamisha Leftwich, DCN, RDN, LD/N, CLC, FAND
Rights Statement
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Third Advisor
Dr. Adrien D. Malek-Lasater, PhD, RD
Department Chair
Dr. Andrea Y. Arikawa, PhD, RD, LD/N, FAND
Abstract
Objectives: Nutrition in early childhood is critical to long-term health outcomes and parents play a key role in shaping children’s eating habits. This study examined where U.S. parents of children aged 2–5 obtain nutrition information, source credibility, and how parental nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) relate to children’s dietary intake.
Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 126 parents, recruited via social media and community networks using convenience sampling. The survey assessed parental sources of nutrition information, perceived trustworthiness, nutrition knowledge, feeding attitudes and behaviors, and child dietary intake. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic characteristics and source utilization. Chi-square analyses assessed associations between parental KAB and children's dietary intake.
Results: Healthcare professionals were the most used (M = 2.59, SD = 0.95) and trusted (M = 4.00, SD = 0.89) nutrition source. Social media was frequently used but rated low in trust. Parents who prepared fruit and vegetable-containing meals daily were more likely to report that their child consumed a greater consumption of fruits per day compared to those who prepared them less frequently (p = .004). Parental satisfaction with their child’s eating habits was significantly associated with higher vegetable (p < .01) and protein (p = .007) intake. Nutrition knowledge was unrelated to child dietary intake.
Conclusions for Practice: Parental behaviors may be a more reliable indicator of healthy child eating patterns than knowledge. Interventions should prioritize parental confidence and consistent, trustworthy guidance. Limitations include reliance on self-reported data and a non-random sample, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.
Suggested Citation
Fiorio, Mara O., "Parental sources of nutrition information and their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors: Impact on children's dietary intake in ages 2-5 – A cross-sectional study" (2025). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 1368.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/1368
Included in
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Human and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Women's Health Commons
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