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Children’s adherence to a healthy and environmentally sustainable dietary pattern based on the EAT-Lancet recommendations: the role of the family environment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2025

Beatriz Teixeira Open the ORCID record for Beatriz Teixeira [Opens in a new window] ,
Cláudia Afonso  and
Andreia Oliveira
Beatriz Teixeira*
Affiliation:
Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto (Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto), Porto, Portugal EPIUnit ITR, Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Universidade do Porto, (EPIUnit ITR, Institute of Public Health of the University Porto, University of Porto), Porto, Portugal
Cláudia Afonso
Affiliation:
Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto (Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto), Porto, Portugal EPIUnit ITR, Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Universidade do Porto, (EPIUnit ITR, Institute of Public Health of the University Porto, University of Porto), Porto, Portugal
Andreia Oliveira
Affiliation:
EPIUnit ITR, Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Universidade do Porto, (EPIUnit ITR, Institute of Public Health of the University Porto, University of Porto), Porto, Portugal Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto (Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto), Porto, Portugal
*
Corresponding author: Beatriz Teixeira; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the association between family characteristics and adherence to the EAT-Lancet dietary recommendations in 7-year-old children. This is a prospective birth cohort study with 2125 children from Generation XXI (Porto, Portugal), who provided 3-day food diaries at age 7, used to assess habitual food consumption. At the age of 4, maternal diet was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire, and a diet quality score was calculated (higher scores indicating a better maternal diet), and parental–child feeding practices were assessed with the Child Feeding Questionnaire. Adherence to the EAT-Lancet dietary recommendations was evaluated using the World Index for Sustainability and Health (WISH) at the age of 7 years, previously adapted to paediatric age. Hierarchical linear regression models (consecutive addition of blocks of variables based on a theoretical framework) were employed to evaluate the associations between family characteristics and adherence to the WISH at age 7 (β regression coefficients and the respective 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI)). Higher maternal age and education at child’s birth were associated with increased adherence to the WISH at age 7 (β = 0·018, 95 % CI 0·005, 0·031; β = 0·038, 95 % CI 0·024, 0·053, respectively). A better maternal diet quality and using more restrictive practices on child’s diet, at 4 years old, were both associated with higher scoring in the WISH at 7 years old (β = 0·033, 95 % CI 0·018, 0·049; β = 0·067, 95 % CI 0·009, 0·125, respectively). Early maternal sociodemographic and diet quality play a significant role in influencing the adherence to a healthy and environmentally sustainable dietary pattern at school-age.

Keywords

maternal characteristicsfood sustainabilityhealthy dietscohort studieschildhood
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 133 , Issue 4 , 28 February 2025 , pp. 522 - 531
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society

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