Download the survey results here
Download the press release here
Our dietary habits as young children have an especially strong influence over how we eat for the rest of our lives, demonstrating the importance of promoting good nutrition early on. Yet the past year has shone a spotlight on the challenges of raising children while balancing many other priorities. Understanding the decisions made by parents and caregivers—and the hurdles they face while trying to provide food for their children—provides valuable information for improving the dietary habits of children nationwide.
A new survey by the International Food Information Council (IFIC), “Knowledge, Understanding and Behaviors When Feeding Young Children,” examines how parents and caregivers consider current diet recommendations for kids ages 2 to 10, how they interpret and implement nutrition advice, and what information sources adults rely on when making food and dietary choices for children.
Methodology
Survey results were derived from online interviews of 1,199 U.S. adults, conducted December 12, 2020, to January 4, 2021, by Dynata. Results were weighted to ensure proportional representation of the population, with a margin of error of ±3.1 points at the 95% confidence level, based on the general population sample of n=1,000. An additional 199 interviews were conducted among adults who identified as Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish descent to assure adequate number of respondents to support comparisons. The research was supported by Abbott.
