scholarly journals Determinants of changes in women’s and men’s eating behavior across the transition to parenthood: a focus group study

Author(s):  
Vickà Versele ◽  
F. Marijn Stok ◽  
Dirk Aerenhouts ◽  
Benedicte Deforche ◽  
Annick Bogaerts ◽  
...  

Abstract Background During the pregnancy and postpartum period, both women and men experience physiological and psychological changes, which may negatively impact their eating behavior. A clear understanding of determinants of changes in eating behavior during this period is needed to facilitate the development of targeted family-based interventions countering unfavorable dietary changes during this critical life period. Methods Thirteen focus group discussions targeting determinants of changes in eating behavior during pregnancy and postpartum were conducted, involving a total of 74 expecting and first-time parents. A semi-structured question guide was used to facilitate the discussions. An inductive thematic approach was used to derive main and sub-categories of determinants from the data. The Determinants of Nutrition and Eating (DONE)-framework was employed to systematically organize and label the categories and determinants. Results Two frameworks were developed; one for the pregnancy and one for the postpartum period, comprising determinants of changes in eating behavior in both women and men. Three main levels of determinants were identified: (1) the individual level, including psychological (e.g., ‘health consciousness’), situational (e.g., ‘effort and convenience’) and biological (e.g., ‘discomfort’); (2) the interpersonal level (e.g., ‘social influence’) and (3) the environmental level, including micro- and meso/macro (e.g., ‘home/environment food availability’). Determinants acting as barriers (e.g., ‘time constraints’) or facilitators (e.g., ‘being a role model’) were identified. Many determinants were mentioned during both (e.g., ‘food knowledge’) or just one investigated period (e.g., ‘physiological changes’ during pregnancy, ‘influence of the baby’ postpartum). Finally, some were described by both parents (e.g., ‘self-regulation’), whereas others were mentioned by women (e.g., ‘(perceived) food safety’) or men (e.g., ‘other priorities’) only. Conclusion The developed frameworks set the foundation for the development of future family-based interventions and may be used already by healthcare providers to provide dietary guidance and support for women and men transitioning into parenthood. A focus on the interplay of individual factors at the biological and psychological level together with situational difficulties during pregnancy is recommended. Postpartum, focus should go to support first-time parents to obtain balance of both maintaining one’s own health and taking care of the baby, on improving self-regulation skills, and on coping with related situational constraints.

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2429
Author(s):  
Vickà Versele ◽  
Phaedra Debekker ◽  
F. Marijn Stok ◽  
Dirk Aerenhouts ◽  
Peter Clarys ◽  
...  

Background: Healthy eating behavior throughout pregnancy and postpartum is important. This study aimed to investigate the perceived sex-specific importance of determinants of changes in eating behavior during pregnancy and postpartum. Methods: Fifty-four determinants were rated by first-time parents (n = 179) on their impact. Experts (n = 31) rated the determinants in terms of their modifiability, relationship strength, and population-level effect from which a “priority for research”-score was calculated. Results: During pregnancy, the three highest rated determinants by women were “health concerns”, “physiological changes”, and “fatigue”. Men perceived “health concerns”, “health consciousness”, and “influence of the pregnant partner” as important. Postpartum, the three highest rated determinants by women were “adaptation to rhythm of baby”, “baby becomes priority”, and “practical constraints because of the baby”. Men perceived “adaptation to rhythm of baby”, “fatigue”. and “(lack of) anticipation” as important. According to the experts, “professional influence”, “food knowledge”, and “home food availability” received high priority scores for both sexes and during both periods. Conclusions: Priority for research and interventions should go towards tailored family-based approaches focusing on food education in a broad sense taking into account aspects such as health consciousness, self-efficacy skills, and the social and home food environment while being supported by healthcare professionals.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Sjögren Forss ◽  
L Stjernberg

Abstract Background As there is incontrovertible evidence of the essential prerequisite of regular physical activity it is also important to understand how different life change events may impact individual's participation in physical activity. Pregnancy and the transition to parenthood have been found to be life change events associated with decreased physical activity among women however, the examination of changes of physical activity in the male parent during this major life change event has been largely neglected in scientific literature and a significant research gap can be found. In the light of this, this longitudinal study aimed to follow changing physical activity patterns among women and med during pregnancy and eight months postpartum compared to pre-pregnancy. Methods The study involved 123 women and 112 men (partners of the women) from the municipality of Karlskrona, Sweden. We measured the self-reported amount of physical activity performed outdoors and indoors before pregnancy (calculated from one month before pregnancy), throughout the entire pregnancy, and eight months postpartum. Results We found similar trends among both women and men in decreasing frequency of physical activity during pregnancy and eight months postpartum as compared to pre-pregnancy, however, overall physical activity levels did not change. Conclusions Our findings contribute new knowledge about changes in men's physical activity patterns from pre-pregnancy to pregnancy and postpartum and is an important contribution in research, as the area is very limited. As couples seem to change activity patterns similarly, it is important to promote family-based physical activity initiatives and encourage couples to be active together during pregnancy and postpartum. Key messages Couples seem to change physical activity patterns similarly during pregnancy and postpartum. as compared to pre-pregnancy. It is important to promote family-based physical activity initiatives and encourage couples to be active together during pregnancy and postpartum.


Author(s):  
Evan Osborne

Does humanity progress primarily through leaders organizing and directing followers, or through trial and error by individuals free to chart their own path? For most of human history ruling classes had the capacity and the desire to tightly regiment society, to the general detriment of progress. But beginning in the 1500s, Europeans developed a series of arguments for simply leaving well enough alone. First in the form of the scientific method, then in the form of free expression, and finally in the form of the continuously, spontaneously reordered free market, people began to accept that progress is hard, and requires that an immense number of mistakes be tolerated so that we may learn from them. This book tells the story of the development of these three ideas, and for the first time tells of the mutual influence among them. It outlines the rise, and dramatic triumph, of each of these self-regulating systems, followed by a surprising rise in skepticism, especially in the economic context. Such skepticism in the 20th century was frequently costly and sometimes catastrophic. Under the right conditions, which are more frequent than generally believed, self-regulating systems in which participants organize themselves are superior. We should accept their turbulence in exchange for the immense progress they generate.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 3065
Author(s):  
Norliza Ahmad ◽  
Zalilah Mohd Shariff ◽  
Firdaus Mukhtar ◽  
Munn-Sann Lye

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a family-based intervention program (REDUCE) on children’s eating behaviors and dietary intake. A two-arm randomized controlled field trial was conducted among parents and children of 7 to 10 years old who were either overweight or obese. The intervention was conducted via face-to-face sessions and social media. The child eating behaviors were assessed using the child eating behaviors questionnaire (CEBQ), while their dietary consumption of vegetables and unhealthy snacks was assessed using a parental report of three days unweighted food. The generalized linear mixed modelling adjusted for covariates was used to estimate the intervention effects with alpha of 0.05. A total of 122 parents (91% response rate) completed this study. At the six-month post-training, there were statistically significant mean differences in the enjoyment of food (F(6481) = 4.653, p < 0.001), fruit and vegetable intake (F(6480) = 4.165, p < 0.001) and unhealthy snack intake (F(6480) = 5.062, p < 0.001) between the intervention and wait-list groups; however, it was not clinically meaningful. This study added to the body of knowledge of family-based intervention that utilized social media and assessed the effect in children’s eating behavior using the CEBQ and children’s dietary intake.


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