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

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.

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