Table 1.
Questions asked to parents about feeding their child at different ages. Answers used in the regression models, grouped as shown for analysis, with frequency of occurrence in the whole cohort.
| Questions as asked | Answer categories | Overall percent |
|---|---|---|
| Child aged 4 weeks | ||
| Please indicate if your baby has had the following feeding behaviours: | ||
| a) Weak sucking | Always/Sometimes | 8.9 |
| Occasionally/No not at all | 91.1 Reference | |
| b) Choking | Always/Sometimes | 26.5 |
| Occasionally/No not at all | 73.5 Reference | |
| c) Slow feeding | Always/Sometimes | 24.7 |
| Occasionally/No not at all | 75.3 Reference | |
| d) Taking only small quantities at each fed | Always/Sometimes | 29.1 |
| Occasionally/No not at all | 70.9 Reference | |
| Do you feel your baby is difficult to feed? | Yes, very/Yes, quite difficult | 11.4 |
| No, not difficult | 88.6 Reference | |
| Child aged 6 months | ||
| Is the baby fed 'on demand', i.e. whenever he/she is hungry? | Always/Sometimes | 83.2 |
| No not at all | 16.8 Reference | |
| Please indicate if your baby had any of the following feeding behaviours and when they occurred: | ||
| a) Slow feeding | Yes 0–3 months/Yes 4–6 months | 28.9 |
| No not at all | 71.1 Reference | |
| b) Choking | Yes 0–3 months/Yes 4–6 months | 22.3 |
| No not at all | 77.7 Reference | |
| c) Taking only small quantities at each fed | Yes 0–3 months/Yes 4–6 months | 33.8 |
| No not at all | 66.2 Reference | |
| Do you feel you have ever had any difficulty feeding your baby? | Yes, great/Yes, some difficulties | 35.4 |
| No, no difficulties | 64.6 Reference | |
| Has your baby refused to take solids before 6 months of age | Yes | 21.6 |
| No | 78.4 Reference | |
| Breast feeding duration | Never | 21.4 |
| <3 months | 22.6 | |
| 3–5 months | 17.3 | |
| 6 months or more | 38.7 Reference | |
| Age solid foods introduced | 0–3 months | 71.9 |
| 4 months | 25.0 | |
| 5 months or more | 3.1 Reference | |
| How often nowadays does your baby have? | ||
| Prepared baby foods (from a jar, tin or packet) at 6 months, listing meat, fish, vegetable, fruit or milk pudding | Not answered | 6.7 |
| 22 times or more per week | 11.5 | |
| 15-21 times per week | 21.6 | |
| 8-14 times per week | 32.1 | |
| 1-7 times per week | 20.0 | |
| None | 8.1 Reference | |
| Vegetables (cooked or raw) eaten at 6 months | Not answered | 4.7 |
| 8 times or more per week | 12.2 | |
| 7 times per week | 19.8 | |
| 1-6 times per week | 44.9 | |
| None | 18.4 Reference | |
| Fresh fruit eaten at 6 months | Not answered | 1.6 |
| 7 times or more per week | 6.4 | |
| 1-6 times per week | 36.0 | |
| None | 56.0 Reference | |
| Child aged 15 months | ||
| Is he/she fed ‘on demand’, i.e. whenever he/she is hungry | Yes, always | 14.4 |
| Yes, some of the time | 53.2 | |
| No, not at all | 32.3 Reference | |
| Babies first solid meals are usually a puree. When did your child first start having meals with lumps in? | Before 6 months | 11.9 |
| Between 6 and 9 months | 70.2 Reference | |
| 10 months or more | 17.9 | |
| Do you feel that you have had any difficulty feeding him/her in the past year? | Yes | 40.6 |
| No | 59.4 Reference | |
| Since he/she was 6 months old has he/she at any time: | ||
| a) Refused to eat the right foods? | Yes, worried me greatly | 3.0 |
| Yes, worried me a bit | 17.9 | |
| Yes, but did not worry me | 29.1 | |
| No, did not happen | 50.0 Reference | |
| b) Been choosy with food? | Yes, worried me greatly | 2.7 |
| Yes, worried me a bit | 15.2 | |
| Yes, but did not worry me | 38.2 | |
| No, did not happen | 43.9 Reference | |
| c) Not eaten enough food? | Yes, worried me greatly | 6.4 |
| Yes, worried me a bit | 24.4 | |
| Yes, but did not worry me | 25.6 | |
| No, did not happen | 43.6 Reference | |
| How often nowadays does your child have? | ||
| Number of times prepared baby/toddler or junior foods (from a jar, tin or packet) eaten | 10 or more per week | 8.1 |
| 7-9 per week | 4.6 | |
| 1-6 per week | 17.0 | |
| none | 70.3 Reference | |
| Number of times family meat/fish eaten | 10 or more per week | 9.8 |
| 7-9 per week | 37.3 | |
| 1-6 per week | 43.6 | |
| none | 9.3 Reference | |
| Number of times vegetables eaten | 10 or more per week | 17.9 |
| 7-9 per week | 45.9 | |
| 1-6 per week | 29.7 | |
| none | 6.6 Reference | |
| Number of times raw fruit eaten | 10 or more per week | 18.0 |
| 7-9 per week | 27.3 | |
| 1-6 per week | 46.6 | |
| none | 8.1 Reference | |
| For the main meal of the day does he/she eat: | ||
| a) The same food as you? | No answer | 2.2 |
| Always/almost always | 67.0 | |
| Sometimes | 27.1 | |
| Never or rarely | 3.7 Reference | |
| b) A ready-prepared meal out of a packet or tin? | No answer | 13.4 |
| Always/almost always | 2.6 | |
| Sometimes | 25.4 | |
| Never or rarely | 58.5 Reference | |