Beliefs and attitudes of caregivers regarding infant feeding and weight development in the covid-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the beliefs and attitudes of caregivers concerning the diet and weight development of children aged 5-7. Method: Descriptive study, 218 caregivers/ children, carried out in eight USFs in São Carlos-SP, Brazil, in 2020/2021. Anthropometric data, sociodemographic information, health history/lifestyle habits, and the child’s feeding questionnaire were analyzed. JASP® was used for statistical analysis, significance p<0.05. Results: Scores were higher in the perception of responsibility for the child’s diet (p<0.0001), and lower in the perception and concern about the child’s weight (p<0.0001). Positive correlation: BMI children X perception and concern about the child’s weight (p<0.0001); lower schooling X lower perception and concern about the child’s weight (p=0.034). Conclusion: This study made it possible to analyze the beliefs/attitudes of caregivers regarding the diet/weight gain of their children during the pandemic, and can serve as a reference for future studies and the development of nutritional education strategies for this pediatric population.