An observational study of the eating behaviour and related activities of children in the first two years

Abstract

This study was carried out with the intention of providing a method for studying children with feeding disorders, especially those with nonorganic failure to thrive, in then own homes. Thirty-two children, four girls and four boys in each of four different age groups: 6-8, 12-14, 18-20 and 24-26 months, were recruited from volunteers in the Newcastle upon Tyne area. They were each observed individually on three separate occasions, totalling nine hours of observation from 8.00 a m to 5.00 p.m. This allowed most of the children to be observed during their three main meals, and between them The method adapted for the study used data sheets containing tune rulers at one minute intervals, on which codings of direct observations of the child and caretaker could be recorded easily and systematically, without the use of video recorders. These were supplemented by a continuous 'Running Record' of speech, supplementary behaviour descriptions, and descriptions of all food given to and consumed by the child. The boys in this study slept more than the girls, giving them a shorter waking tune. Other behaviours were analysed as a percentage of the child's waking time. There were no significant sex differences, except that caretakers talked more to girls during their waking tune. Older children were more active, they cried less and talked more. They also drank fluids more. They did not spend more time eating, presumably because they were able to eat more quickly than younger children. Caretakers attended significantly more to the care of younger children, they held younger children more, gave them solids more and prompted them to eat more. The direct observational method used in this study allowed a detailed description of the eating behaviours and related activities of normal healthy babies and toddlers, without the reliance of recall by the mothers or caretakers