Introduction

Eating behavior has increasingly gained relevance in recent times given its incidence in identifying chronic diseases. In addition, few studies have been conducted nationwide on the determinants of eating behavior in children, particularly those related to parental feeding practices.

Objective

To identify the relationship between parental feeding practices and children’s eating behavior.

Materials and Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted on PICO and PRISMA strategies. The research was conducted using the LILACS, MEDLINE and IBECS databases, involving articles published between 2013 and 2018. A total of 23 studies make up this review.

Results

83% of the studies allowed direct observation of parental mealtime practices resulting in a statistically significant association between parental pressure to eat and selective eating in children. 17% of the studies suggested that parental feeding practices interfere with children’s eating behavior, which makes them very similar. Most of the articles have been published worldwide with only one being conducted in Brazil.

Discussion

Family settings are considered to contribute to eating preferences, refusals and behaviors. Children learn not only by living their own experiences but also by observing others.

Conclusion

The data obtained from this systematic review demonstrate that parental feeding practices can determine eating behavior in children. Further national research on children’s eating behavior is essential to better understand and explore its determinants.

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