The relationship between parents’ dietary care and food diversity among preschool children in Japan

Abstract Background Increasing food diversity in early childhood diets is important; however, few studies on parental care emphasize the necessity of ensuring greater food diversity for children. The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between preschool children’s dietary diversity and parents’ care behaviors related to their diet including contents of foods and snacks, mealtime practice, and parent–child communication. Methods Data were extracted from the National Nutrition Survey on Preschool Children conducted among households with toddlers and preschoolers in 2015 by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Based on 2143 responses from households with children aged 2–6 years, a food diversity score (8 food groups: max of 8 points) was calculated and the distribution was confirmed. The participants were divided into higher (≥4 points, n = 1151) and lower (≤3 points; n = 992) food diversity groups. A comparison between the two groups examined parents’ socioeconomic status, children’s health and living conditions, and parental care concerning children’s diets (13 items, including nutritional balance of foods, snack content, and regularity of mealtimes). Based on the results, a multiple regression analysis was performed relating food diversity scores to the factors of parental socioeconomic status and child health, and a logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors of parental care related to the higher food diversity group. Results Among the higher food diversity group, mothers were older, subjective economic status was higher, parents’ skipped breakfast skipping less, and children had fewer caries and engaged in less than two hours of screen time per day. Parental care concerning children’s diets was the factor most strongly associated with children’s food diversity scores. Among such habits, those factors most strongly associated with higher food diversity were nutritional balance of foods (OR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.44–2.16; p < .0001), snack contents (OR: 1.41; CI: 1.07–1.86; p = 0.014), and regular mealtimes (OR: 1.30; CI: 1.08–1.55; p = 0.005). Conclusion The findings indicate the importance of parents paying attention to the contents of children’s foods and snacks, ensuring that children eat regularly, and increasing the diversity of their diets.