Enhancing food habits via sensitivity in rural low-SES mothers of children aged 1–3 living in Colombia: a randomized controlled trial using video-feedback intervention

ABSTRACT

In a randomized controlled trial with 25 Colombian rural low-SES mothers and their children (aged 1–3 years), the effectiveness of the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) in enhancing maternal sensitivity and food habits was tested pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at a 6-month follow-up. The study further verified whether maternal sensitivity represented a mechanism of change for food habits. Mixed models indicated that the VIPP-SD did promote higher maternal sensitivity and better food habits. Moreover, increased maternal sensitivity following the VIPP-SD predicted improved maternal food habits, both post-intervention and at the follow-up. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at preventing early inadequate parental food habits in low-SES communities should promote sensitive parenting during daily mother–child interactions, in addition to offering nutritional advice.

KEYWORDS:

• Attachment-based intervention
• VIPP-SD
• sensitivity
• food habits
• low-SES mothers

Acknowldegement

We would like to thank all mothers and their children for their efforts in participating in the research. The study did not receive any funding support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.