feediNg gUidelines infanT RandomIzEd coNtrolled Trial

Body mass index z-score at the age of 48 months

Z-score of the body mass index (BMI, kg / m²), calculated from measurements of the child's weight and height at the age of 48 months (parent-reports of the measurements contained in the child health record) and according to the WHO references.

Time frame: Follow-up (at the age of 48 months)

Children's eating behaviour (self-reported by parents)

Parent-reports using the french version of the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire adapted for toddlers (CEBQ-T) which is a validated questionnaire. The questionnaire is composed of 31 items. Parent answers to each item using a 6-category scale (never, rarely, sometimes, often, always, I don't know). The items are then grouped to define 7 dimensions : 'food responsiveness', 'enjoyment of food', 'satiety responsiveness', 'food fussiness', 'slowness in eating', 'emotional overeating', and 'external food cue responsiveness'. Higher scores mean higher behaviours.

Time frame: at the ages of 12 and 36 months

Infant appetite control abilities (self-reported by parents)

Parent-reports at the ages of 12 and 36 months using a validated questionnaire. Parent answers to 9 items, which are then grouped to define 2 dimensions: 'Caloric compensation' and 'Eating in the absence of hunger' (EAH). Parent answers to items using a 5-category scale (never, rarely, sometimes, often, always). Higher scores mean higher behaviours.

Time frame: at the ages of 12 and 36 months

Infant appetite control abilities (behavioral observation)

Infant caloric compensation ability during 2 meals at the laboratory at the age of 11 months (calculation of "COMPX" scores)

Time frame: at the age of 11 months

Infant appetite control abilities (behavioral observation)

Infant Eating in the Absence of Hunger (EAH) during a meal at the laboratory at the age of 30 months (assessment of quantities and choice of food consumed during 10 minutes after a meal, i.e. when the child is no longer hungry).

Time frame: at the age of 30 months

Parental feeding practices (self-reported by parents)

Parent-reports at the ages of 12, 24, 36 months using the validated French version of the Child Feeding Practices Questionnaire. Parent answers to items 1-12 using a 6-category scale (never, rarely, sometimes, often, always, not concerned). Parent answers to items 13-39 using a 5-category scale (not at all true, bit true, moderately true, rather true, very true). The 39 items are grouped to define 10 dimensions: 'Monitoring' , 'Child control' , 'Emotion Regulation' 'Positive habits', 'Restriction for weight control', 'Restriction for health reasons', 'Food as reward', 'Teaching nutrition', 'Modeling' , 'Responsibility'. Higher scores mean higher behaviors.

Time frame: at the ages of 12, 24, 36 months

Parental feeding practices (behavioral observation)

Filmed meal at the laboratory at the age of 36 months to observe parental strategies for coping with food refusal (parents will choose from a selection a vegetable that is not appreciated by the child. The strategies the parent will use to get the food tasted will be recorded.) \+ Filmed meal at participants' home at the age of 32 months in order to assess the quality of interactions in a more natural context. The overall behaviors of the infant during the meal (e.g.: "turns his head", "signals with his hand that he is no longer hungry", etc.) as well as the behaviors of the parent who feeds (e.g.: "talks to encourage her infant", "takes a break from feeding", "flys the plane with the spoon", etc.) will be described on the basis of a video analysis thanks to the establishment of ethograms.

Time frame: at the ages of 32 and 36 months

Introduction of complementary foods

Parent-reports using a questionnaire from a previous research (RCT ECAIL). This questionnaire is composed of 93 items relating to breastfeeding (age of stopping and reasons), milks (type of milks offered to the baby), age and reasons for starting complementary feeding (CF) and items representing different drinks and complementary foods. Parent answers to each food item using a 5-category scale (not yet introduced, only once, 2 or 3 times, more often, every day or almost every day) (higher scores mean higher consumption frequency) and indicates the age of introduction as soon as the consumption frequency is higher than 'only once'. Particular interest will be given to : 'age at the start of CF', 'reasons for starting CF', 'diversity of foods introduced between 4 and 6 months', 'diversity of major allergens introduced between 4 and 6 months', 'consumption frequency' and 'age of introduction' of various food groups.

Time frame: at the ages of 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 months

Food frequency and food acceptance

Parent-reports using a questionnaire from a previous research (ANR OPALINE). This questionnaire is composed of 257 food items. Parent answers to each item using a 5-category scale (almost every day, 1 to 3 times a week, 1 to 3 times per month, less than once a month, never) to assess frequency (higher scores mean higher consumption frequency) and using a 4-point scale (++, +, -, --) to assess liking (higher scores mean higher liking).

Time frame: at the age of 36 months

Food texture exposure and acceptance

Parent-reports using a summarized version of a questionnaire developed to characterize the pattern of food texture exposure in French children aged 4-36 months. This questionnaire is composed of items representing foods commonly used in France in different texture combinations (puree, pieces, raw, cooked, etc.)). Parent answers to each item using a 4-category scale (not offered, spit out, eaten with difficulty, eaten without difficulty). Higher scores mean higher behaviors.

Time frame: at the age of 12 months

Child feeding skills

Parents will report children general feeding skills (holding a spoon in the mouth alone, eating with fingers, self-feeding with a fork, etc.) on a 5-category scale (often, sometimes, rarely, never, I don't know). Higher scores mean higher feeding skills.

Time frame: at the ages of 12 and 36 months

Meal context - FPSQ

Parent-reports at the ages of 12, 24, 36 months using translated extracts from the validated Feeding Practices and Structure Questionnaire. Parent answers to 7 items using a 5-category scale (never, rarely, sometimes, often, always). Items are grouped to define 3 dimensions : 'Family meal setting', ' Structured Meal Timing', 'Structured Meal Setting '. Higher scores mean higher behaviours.

Time frame: at the ages of 12, 24, 36 months

Meal context - FFBS

Parent-reports at the ages of 12, 24, 36 months using translated extracts from the validated Family Food Behavior Survey. Parent answers to 12 items using a 5-category scale (never true, rarely true, sometimes true, often true, always true). Items are grouped to define 2 dimensions : 'Maternal control' and 'Organization of eating environment'. Higher scores mean higher behaviours.

Time frame: at the ages of 12, 24, 36 months

Maternal distractions during feeding - Use of technological distractors

Parent-reports at the ages of 12, 24, 36 months using an adapted version of the Maternal Distraction Questionnaire which is a validated questionnaire. Higher scores mean higher behaviour.

Time frame: at the ages of 12, 24, 36 months

Maternal distractions during feeding - Perceived Distraction

Parent-reports at the ages of 12, 24, 36 months using an adapted version of the Maternal Distraction Questionnaire which is a validated questionnaire. Higher scores mean higher perception

Time frame: at the ages of 12, 24, 36 months

Knowledge about infant nutrition

Parent-reports using a questionnaire developped by De Rosso et al. (in press). This questionnaire is composed of 30 items representing various infant feeding recommendations. Parent first answers to each item on a dichotomous true/false scale and then indicates how sure he/she is of his/her answer on a 4-category scale (I am not at all sure, I am rather unsure, I am rather sure, I am completely sure). Two dimensions are assessed : Knowledge accuracy and Knowledge certainty.Higher scores mean higher accuracy/certainty.

Time frame: at the age of 36 months