How parents' day-to-day feeding choices shape young children's diets
Examination of the longitudinal impact of within- and between-day fluctuations in food parenting practices on child dietary intake
This project follows families with children ages 0–11 to see how parents' changing feeding choices during the day relate to what their child eats.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11258947 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, you and your child would be asked to answer brief surveys on your phone several times a day about feeding moments, mood, time pressures, and activities. The study team will also collect information about what your child eats so they can link meal content to feeding behaviors. Researchers use these real-time reports to map how parents shift between structure, autonomy support, indulgence, or control across and within days. The goal is to understand everyday patterns that influence children's eating over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are parents or primary caregivers of children aged 0–11 who can use a smartphone and are willing to complete brief, real-time surveys about feeding and meals.
Not a fit: Families without young children, caregivers unable to use a smartphone, or those unwilling to complete frequent short surveys are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to practical, moment-to-moment tips to help parents support healthier eating in young children and reduce future chronic disease risk.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) have successfully captured momentary changes in parenting and feeding, but linking these patterns to longer-term child diet and health is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Loth, Katie Ann — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Loth, Katie Ann
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.