Being a good mother: An IPA analysis of mothers' food choices for their children

Background: Many healthy eating initiatives aim to raise mothers’ awareness of the diet-health relationship with the expectation that a healthy diet in childhood will lead to better long-term health in the population. This study examined the psychosocial influences that guide the food choices that mothers make for their children, and addressed the following research questions: (1) what are mothers’ key views about healthy eating in relation to child feeding?; (2) to what extent do mothers’ perceptions of their children’s food preferences and their own interests influence the food choices they make for their children?; and (3) in what ways are mothers’ food choices influenced by social aspects beyond the family context? Discussion: These findings suggest that the effectiveness of future initiatives promoting healthy eating within the population requires an understanding both of individual influences and of the wider social context relating to eating behaviours.