Silvia Sanches Marins

Nourishment in the pre-school phase constitutes a complex process due to the factors related to the development peculiar of this phase and regarding the environmental conditions. Since eating habits acquired in childhood tend to solidify in the adult life, assertive attitudes during this child development phase are essential to stimulate the formation of healthy habits at an early age. Thus, it is important that the nurse knows the difficulties and the mothers attitudes regarding their children nourishment, so that he or she can effectively work to make an important contribution to these childrens health at medium and long term. The objective of this study is to know the mothers perceptions of the nourishment of their children aged 3 to 6 years that attend an infant education institution (IEI). It is a qualitative research, using semi-structured interviews for data gathering. The population of this study comprised mothers of pre-school children enrolled in an infant education institution (IEI), of which 10 were mothers of children enrolled in full-time class and 11 part-time. The content analysis enabled the identification of six thematic units: the importance of the child nourishment; how the child nourishment is made; the strategies used during the meals; the child nourishment in the institution; IEI influence on eating habits of pre-school children and the mothers expectations regarding nourishment. The study identified that the nourishment of pre-school children is very important for the mothers, who are concerned with the quality and quantity of ingested food, besides their consequence for their childrens health. The factors that influence the nourishment of pre-school children according to their mothers are: influence of the family environment; influence of the IEI and influence of the child development phase, the latter being the mothers major concern because of their lack of knowledge of the changes in the eating behavior peculiar of pre-school phase. The mothers use several strategies during their children meals, such as: bargain, punishment, coercion, persuasion, disguise or mixture of refused food with the one accepted, play, talk and offer their favorite food. The mothers of this study did not know how the meals or snacks were served at the IEI, however they noticed changes in their children after the IEI attendance, such as: change in the meal times, autonomy to help themselves and changes in eating habits, the latter being noticed by most mothers of children enrolled in full-time course. It is important to highlight that these positive changes happened even taking into account that the institution did not have a nourishment program that would be considered fully appropriate. The mothers of this study expect that there are changes in the eating habits and in the quantity of food eaten by their children at home. Regarding the institution, they expect to receive information about the menu and the quantity of food eaten by their children in the institution, expect that the institution influence the eating habits of their children and expect more nutritive food in the snacks and change in their time schedule. One of the conclusions reached is that there should be a better communication between the families and the IEI, and the latter should help the mothers regarding their concerns, exchanging experiences and creating strategies together with the families to deal with the difficulties. Finally, it is recommended that Brazilian infant education institutions implement health programs, especially of healthy eating, focus of this study, the implementation of which should be supported by nursery professionals.

"Percepções maternas sobre a alimentação de pré-escolares que frequentam instituição de educação infantil" / Maternal perceptions of the nourishment of pre-school children that attend infant education institution.

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