IFIC Spotlight Survey: Survey Of Birth To 24 Months Parents
September 20, 2018
Research Type
Topics
The International Food Information Council (IFIC) commissioned an online research survey with consumers based in the US to measure knowledge, attitudes, and feeding beliefs of parents of children ages birth to 24 months. about birth to 24 months feeding of children by parents. One thousand adults aged 18+ years completed the survey from June 4-15, 2018. The survey was funded by the National Yogurt Association.
Key findings include:
- 53 percent are very confident that they are feeding their child an age-appropriate, nutritious diet, while another 44 percent are at least somewhat confident.
- Despite that confidence, however, some parents expressed concerns and confusion about what they feed B-to-24 children. For instance, as parents introduce children to solid foods, 55 percent of them say that choking hazards are a major concern, with 38 percent concerned about the potential for allergic reactions. In addition, 21 percent said a major concern was what foods to introduce, and 24 percent said when to introduce them. For those with children less than six months old, the number was even higher (33 percent).
- Only 42 percent are very satisfied. Pediatricians overwhelmingly are the primary source of information, cited by 77 percent of parents as a top source, followed by advice from their mother or mother-in-law (32 percent) and other family members (30 percent). Also striking is the number of children whose child care provider has at least some impact on a child’s diet (79 percent).
- The top reasons cited for not following advice include not agreeing with it (53 percent) and that a child’s eating habits or behavior makes it difficult (47 percent).
- For the youngest set eating baby food and solids, half (51 percent) of parents say giving them an appropriate amount of vegetables is a top goal, followed by an appropriate amount of protein (41 percent), exposing them to new foods (38 percent), an appropriate amount of fruits (34 percent) and foods they enjoy (33 percent). And when it comes to factors that impact purchasing habits, nutrition is by far the top driver (62 percent say “very important”) followed by exposing a child to a variety of food tastes and flavors (42 percent). Knowing that their child enjoys eating the food was cited by 39 percent.
- One area of concern and confusion was the milestones and transitions from one food to another. Overall, 68 percent of parents introduce baby foods at about six months or older, 90 percent introduce solids between six and 12 months, and 79 percent tend to start cow’s milk at about 12 months.
