Food socialization strategies in fathers and mothers of Chilean families

Abstract

Starting from an interpretive qualitative study with a content analysis approach under the assumptions of the grounded theory, we sought to describe the subjective meaning of food socialization in the family, in terms of practices and strategies that parents use to introduce their children to eating behavior patterns. Eighteen families from low, middle and high socioeconomic levels participated in the study, answering a semi-structured interview. The results showed two central content categories, on the one hand, the process of food education and on the other, specific food practices, which presented differences between fathers and mothers in terms of the level of involvement in the children's eating process. Similarly, it was identified that the greatest degree of paternal involvement was observed in the high socioeconomic level. Finally, the findings reveal the need to promote greater food education and food practices that support healthy eating in different family contexts.