The need for an evidence-based program in Sweden to support parents to create healthy lifestyle behaviors from the start of life—parental perceptions

Abstract

In Sweden, there have been no interventions promoting the development of healthy lifestyle behaviors starting in infancy. Thus this paper aims to: (i) investigate Swedish parents’ experiences regarding feeding of solid foods, screen time, and physical activity in healthy infants; (ii) investigate parents’ needs and perceptions regarding information/support provided in primary child healthcare (CHC) and (iii) explore whether a parenting program focused on child diet and active play would be relevant and utilized. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 parents. These were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. Seven themes emerged: Feeling excited to enter a new phase; Parents’ responsibility of doing it “right” can be stressful; Motivated to learn during specific time windows; Information to trust; The importance of social support from peers; Experiences of support received from CHC; and the Infant, Feeding, Activity, and Nutrition Trial (INFANT) for a Swedish context. Parents were excited to enter new phases in their child’s development. However, this came with worry they were doing things “right”, leading parents to want more information/support. Overall, Swedish parents were very positive about the prospects of engaging in a primary CHC delivered program to support them to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors from birth and felt this could complement the care currently provided.