Parental engagement with complementary feeding information and their information-seeking behaviours in the United Kingdom

Spurlock, Kelly

Abstract

Background - Complementary feeding describes the transition from milk to family foods from around six months until two years of age. Parents often seek information about complementary feeding to guide their feeding behaviours.

Aims - To explore how parents sought and engaged with information about complementary feeding using qualitative methodology influenced by information behaviour theories and critical realism.

Methods - An evidence synthesis of fifteen qualitative studies exploring UK parents' engagement with complementary feeding information was conducted, followed by interviews with ten mothers and four fathers of infants aged four to twenty-four months in southwest England to explore their information needs. Subsequently, interviews were held with seven service providers in the same region.

Findings – Findings from each study were synthesised to provide insight into how parents engage with sources of information about complementary feeding. There were three main findings;
1)Parental information-seeking behaviours
Parents engage with information about complementary feeding from diverse sources, forming a complex web of information sources through active information-seeking and passive information transfer. The credibility of information is assessed using cognitive heuristics, and many parents describe feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of information.
2)Current services aren’t meeting parents' information needs
Parents found NHS services insufficient for their information needs, leading them to explore alternatives like private information, social media, or commercial baby food sources. Service providers faced challenges guiding parents to appropriate services, promoting healthy eating in the early years, and offering emotional support.
3) Complementary feeding is linked to the idea of good parenting
Parents conformed to their perceptions of best practices for their infants, aligning with societal norms on infant feeding, which initiated information-seeking behaviours. Complementary feeding exhibits gendered patterns, with mothers predominantly shouldering the responsibility of information-seeking while fathers play a supportive role.

Conclusions and recommendations – Parents receive information from a complex web of information sources with varying levels of credibility and accuracy. The findings from this study suggest that parents were not having their information needs met, and mothers tended to bear the burden of information seeking. Policymakers and practitioners should address the impact of social media and commercial baby food companies, considering parental emotional well-being, and ensuring information accessibility regardless of gender.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jul 23, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 25, 2025
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/12705180
• Citations for Published Sections: Spurlock, K., Deave, T., Lucas, P. J., & Dowling, S. (2023). Parental engagement with complementary feeding information in the United Kingdom: A qualitative evidence synthesis. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 19, e13553. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13553
• Award Date: Feb 25, 2025