PARENTS FOOD CHOICE MOTIVE, ATTITUDES AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH CHILDREN’S FOOD PREFERENCES WITH ECC: CASE-CONTROL STUDY

*Dr. Shaikh Shadma Qureshi, Dr. Rini Gangwal, Dr. Halaswamy Vishwanath Kambalimath, Dr. Satish Maran, Dr. Nivriti Chaddha and Dr. Kanchan Satish Adchitre

ABSTRACT

Background: Children learn about food choices between 2 and 5 years of age and make food preferences based on the food items that they are exposed to, during this period. They depend on parents for providing food, and hence, food choices of the parents play an important role in their diet Parents can impact their children’s eating habits by making some foods more accessible. By their own eating habits and food choices, parents can serve as role models of eating behaviour which then has effect on oral health. Aim: To assess the Parents food choice motive, attitude and their association with children’s food preferences with ECC. Objective: To evaluate the Parents food choice motive, attitude and their association with children’s food preferences with case group (with ECC). Materials and Methods: A total of 335 school going children of age 3-5 years were examined and questionnaire forms were collected from their parents. They were divided into case and control group and results will be evaluated on basis of their answers. Results: Food choices motives, attitudes were associated with dental caries. The results were statistically significant. Conclusion: Food choice motives, convenience of buying food for the parents and the sugar exposure in the diet of children is associated with ECC.

Keywords: ECC, food choices, Parents Motive.