Poster Presentation Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society Annual Scientific Conference 2024

Exploring responsive feeding practices: A qualitative study among Arabic and Mongolian speaking migrant mothers in Australia (#240)

Danielle Jawad 1 2 3 , Li Ming Wen 1 2 3 , Louise Baur 1 3 4 , Chris Rissel 1 5 , Seema Mihrshahi 6 , Sarah Taki 1 2 3
  1. Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  2. Health Promotion Unit, Population Health Research & Evaluation Hub, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney , NSW, Australia
  3. 3Centre of Research Excellence in Translating Early Prevention of Obesity in Childhood (EPOCH-Translate CRE), Sydney, NSW, Australia
  4. Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  5. College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Rural and Remote Health SA and NT, Darwin, Australia
  6. Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Ensuring healthy feeding habits in infancy is vital for optimal growth. However, parental and cultural practices may impede children's development of healthy eating behaviours. This study explored responsive feeding practices among migrant mothers in Australia. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted in the native languages of 20 Arabic and 20 Mongolian-speaking mothers with children under 2 years old or currently pregnant. Thematic analysis was employed using the framework method. Both groups exhibited various feeding practices, including responsive feeding or structured schedules. Arabic-speaking mothers tended to exhibit responsive feeding more frequently than Mongolian-speaking mothers, except those using formula, who adhered to fixed feeding routines. When introducing solid foods, both groups often overlooked hunger and satiety cues, pressuring children to finish their meals. Arabic-speaking mothers often supplemented with formula, believing breast milk or solid foods alone might not suffice. Some also used food rewards to encourage eating. Mongolian mothers preferred chubby babies, possibly contributing to pressure-feeding. Moreover, both groups reported using digital devices to distract children during meals. This study highlights the necessity of tailoring future resources and services related to responsive feeding practices to accommodate diverse literacy levels and cultural backgrounds.