The Relationship between Mothers’ Educational Level and Feeding Practices among Children in Selected Kindergartens in Selangor, Malaysia: A Cross-sectional Study

Child feeding practices was directly influence nutritional status of a child. Maternal education level has long been associated with child feeding practices. Thus, this study aims to compare the various feeding practices and nutritional status of the children according to different level of maternal education. This was a cross-sectional study which was conducted among kindergarten school children aged 4 to 6 years old in Selangor, Malaysia. One hundred fourty two children (n = 142) of mothers from secondary school qualification (n = 70) and diploma and above qualification (n = 72) from urban (7 kindergartens) and rural (2 kindergartens) area were involved in this study. A feeding practices questionnaire compromising of questions regarding sociodemographic data, anthropometry measurement, feeding practices and three days diet record. Overall, children of mothers with secondary school qualification had higher prevalence of wasted (14.3%), 67.1% mothers had exclusively breastfed them up to 6 months and their mother had higher rate of using reward (82.9%). However, children of mothers from diploma and above qualification had higher prevalence of obese (13.9%), had higher fast food intake (70.8%) and had higher frequency of skipped breakfast (47.2%). There is a significant different (p<0.05) between energy and fat intakes among boys and girls of mothers from different education level. In addition, there is significant (p = 0.05) negative (r = -0.26) excellent relationship between children’s BMI of mothers from secondary school qualification and their energy intake. The findings of this study suggested that education levels of mother were affecting the child feeding practices and finally determined the child’s nutritional status.