Pensar Enfermagem / v.29 n.01 / June 2025
DOI: 10.71861/pensarenf.v29i1.388 / e00388
Qualitative Original Article
How to cite this article: Varela M, Vilaverde I, Cerqueira M. Healthy eating in preschool-aged children:
Parents’ perceptions – a qualitative study. Pensar Enf [Internet]. 2025 Jun; 29(1): e00388. Available from:
https://doi.org/10.71861/pensarenf.v29i1.388
Healthy eating in preschool-aged children: Parents’
perceptions – a qualitative study
Abstract
Introduction
Healthy eating is essential for supporting children’s growth and development, laying the
foundation for lifelong eating behaviors. The preschool years represent a critical period
for the development of taste preferences and the establishment of dietary patterns, both
of which are shaped by family dynamics and cultural traditions.
Objective
To examine how parents perceive healthy eating during the preschool years.
Methods
This qualitative, exploratory study involved semi-structured interviews with 10 parents of
preschool-aged children receiving care at a Family Health Unit in Alto Minho, Portugal.
Data were collected between December 2023 and January 2024. Content analysis followed
Bardin’s methodology, and all procedures were conducted in accordance with ethical and
professional standards. The study received approval from the Life and Health Sciences
Ethics Committee.
Results
Parents underscored the importance of providing a balanced and varied diet, emphasizing
the inclusion of vegetables, fruits, milk, and dairy products, along with limiting sugar intake.
Soup was frequently described as an effective strategy for ensuring vegetable consumption.
Still, several parents reported challenges in sustaining these practices on a daily basis, often
citing barriers such as children’s taste preferences, time constraints related to family
routines, and inconsistent access to healthy foods.
Conclusion
While parents generally acknowledged the importance of healthy eating, their knowledge
did not always translate into consistent feeding practices. These findings highlight the need
to strengthen parental food literacy and implement support strategies that foster healthy
food choices from early childhood.
Keywords
Healthy Diet; Parents; Child, Preschool; Qualitative Research.
Marisol Torres Varela1
orcid.org/0009-0002-5034-8120
Isabel Rodrigues Vilaverde2
orcid.org/0009-0006-3089-1029
Maria Manuela Amorim Cerqueira3
orcid.org/0000-0001-8118-5366
1Msc. Enfermeira no Serviço de Medicina Interna do
Hospital Conde de Bertiandos da Unidade Local de
Saúde do Alto Minho (ULSAM), Viana dos Castelo,
Portugal.
2 Msc. Enfermeira na USF – Modelo B Vale do Lima,
da Unidade Local de Saúde do Alto Minho (ULSAM),
Viana dos Castelo, Portugal.
3 PhD. Professora Coordenadora na Escola Superior
de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo,
Viana do Castelo, Portugal.
Corresponding author
Marisol Varela
E-mail: mtvarela3@hotmail.com
Received: 22.11.2024
Accepted: 30.05.2025
Editor
Paulo Seabra
Varela, M.
Qualitative Original Article
Introduction
Eating is both a biological necessity and a culturally
embedded practice. It encompasses food selection,
preparation, and consumption, serving as a core process
through which humans maintain survival, reproduction,
and physiological regulation. Nutrient intake through
eating supports not only physical needs but also emotional,
cognitive, and motor well-being.1,2
The family serves as the child’s primary social environment,
where development takes root, care is provided, and early
social competencies are formed. It plays a central role in
shaping health beliefs, fostering self-esteem, and
supporting self-efficacy.6 The family is one of the primary
forces shaping a child’s development, education, emotional
well-being, and sense of safety. It functions as a
foundational link between the child and the outside world,
playing a vital role in shaping eating behaviors and early
socialization.7 Within this context, children begin forming
their eating behaviors, as the home environment is where
educational influences first emerge—where they encounter
food, experience their flavors, and develop preferences that
often persist throughout life.8
Extensive research underscores the role of family dynamics
in shaping children’s eating habits, emphasizing the
importance of the home environment and the modeling
behaviors of caregivers.
Research indicates that the first five years of life mark a
period of rapid growth and developmental change, during
which children establish eating behaviors that often shape
future dietary patterns. During this time, they learn what,
when, and how much to eat through the intergenerational
transmission of beliefs, attitudes, and culturally embedded
feeding practices. Thus, parents and caregivers play a key
role in shaping these early food experiences.9
From pregnancy onward, the fetus is exposed to flavors
from the maternal diet via amniotic fluid, and this sensory
exposure continues after birth through breast milk, which
reflects maternal food intake. Early flavor exposure helps
facilitate infants’ acceptance of the foods commonly
consumed by their mothers. As children transition to the
family diet, their food preferences are shaped by food
availability, accessibility, and the modeling behaviors of
caregivers within familiar eating routines.9
To help children learn to enjoy healthy foods—such as
vegetables—they need repeated, early, and positive
experiences with those foods, along with opportunities to
observe others consuming them. Parents are, therefore,
instrumental in determining which foods children become
familiar with, from those stored at home to those served
during family meals or eaten outside the home.9
Childhood is considered a foundational period for
developing eating habits, and the nature of caregiver–child
interactions during meals plays a central role in this process.
These early relational dynamics can influence eating
behaviors positively or negatively, as children’s food
practices and preferences are shaped by the experiences
accumulated during their early growth and development.
This stage of life is also when personality begins to take
shape and enduring behavioral patterns are established.10
Children’s eating behaviors are shaped by a range of
factors, including the guidance provided by caregivers, the
routines established at home, each child’s individual
temperament, and the degree of parental involvement in
food selection and meal planning.11
Although children’s preferences may influence their actual
intake, parents primarily control what foods are made
available and offered, particularly during the preschool
years.11
Because diet is a key determinant of health, it requires
consistent attention starting in early childhood, including
timely nutrition education. Costa et al.12 highlight the long-
term impact of early nutrition on health outcomes, with
parents acting not only as food providers but also as
children’s first nutrition educators.
According to Bandura’s Social Learning Theory,
individuals learn through observation and imitation,
positioning parents as key models in developing children’s
behaviors. In feeding contexts, caregivers’ attitudes and
practices directly shape preschool-aged children’s eating
behaviors and food preferences. Both the availability of
healthy foods at home and the quality of caregiver–child
interactions during mealtimes are critical factors in this
process. In contrast, maladaptive practices—such as using
food as a reward or applying excessive control—can have
unintended negative effects. Understanding parents’
perceptions of healthy eating is, therefore, essential to
designing strategies that encourage the development of
positive eating habits early in life.23
Healthy eating and optimal development in the preschool
years are associated with a variety of behaviors and lifestyle
factors—many of which can be taught, reinforced, and
modified.
Based on scientific evidence, our clinical experience in
primary health care, and a local needs assessment, we
identified early childhood nutrition as a priority area
requiring targeted attention from health professionals—
particularly family health nurses—due to parents’ strong
influence on preschoolers’ eating behaviors. We developed
this study to answer the following research question: “How
do parents perceive healthy eating during the preschool
years?” The aim was to expand understanding of parental
Pensar Enfermagem / v.29 n.01 / June 2025
DOI: 10.71861/pensarenf.v29i1.388 / e00388
Qualitative Original Article
perceptions and inform family health nursing practices
across home, school, and community environments.
Methods
Given the research question and the study objectives, this
investigation adopted a qualitative, exploratory, and
descriptive design. It followed a descriptive approach to
enable understanding and interpretation of participants’
experiences without manipulating them. It was also
exploratory in nature, aiming to foster greater familiarity
with the topic by uncovering and clarifying key aspects
through interviews with individuals directly experiencing
the phenomenon under study. This type of research is
designed to explore and describe personal experiences
from the perspective of those living them.13 Accordingly,
this study aimed to understand how parents perceive
healthy eating during the preschool years.
In designing and reporting this study, we followed the
COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative
Research) checklist to ensure transparency and
methodological rigor in qualitative research. The study
population included parents of preschool-aged children (3
to 5 years old) who were attending routine health visits at
the Alto Minho Family Health Unit, Portugal, which
enabled the identification of eligible participants.
This study specifically focused on preschool-aged children,
as the period between ages 3 and 5 is widely recognized as
a critical window for developing lasting eating habits and
healthy lifestyle behaviors. During this stage, children are
especially receptive to learning routines that support
well-being and prevent disease. Early childhood is also
marked by significant physical and social growth, during
which foundational dietary patterns are formed that may
shape future food choices. Between the ages of 3 and 5,
children undergo key developmental transitions that
enhance their autonomy and social engagement.
Given these considerations, we employed a non-probability
convenience sampling strategy with purposive selection,
identifying participants who exhibited typical
characteristics aligned with the study’s objectives.13 In this
case, parents of preschool-aged children were selected as
key informants.
We defined the inclusion criteria as parents of preschool-
aged children attending routine health visits at the Alto
Minho Family Health Unit who agreed to participate by
signing the Informed Consent Form. Exclusion criteria
included:
• institutionalized children and/or those with
irregular enrollment;
• parents not fluent in Portuguese;
• children with chronic conditions;
Data saturation was determined iteratively through
continuous analysis of the interview data. Once it became
evident that additional interviews were not yielding new or
relevant insights about the phenomenon under study,
saturation was considered achieved. This confirmed that a
sample of 10 participants was adequate for the purposes of
the study.
To better understand the participants, sociodemographic
data were collected from the parents, along with selected
information about the children. These variables helped to
comprehensively characterize the participant profiles.
Collected data included the parent’s age, gender,
relationship to the child (mother or father), educational
level, employment status, place of residence, and marital
status. For the children, age, number of siblings, and
presence of chronic conditions were recorded. These
variables provided contextual support for interpreting the
findings and allowed for a deeper understanding of
participants’ perceptions in the study.
Sociodemographic data were analyzed descriptively and
presented in charts to facilitate interpretation of the results.
After defining the study focus and identifying the
participants, we selected the most appropriate method for
data collection. We opted for semi-structured interviews—
also referred to as semi-directed, guided, or focused interviews—
as our primary data collection instrument.14
A pilot interview was conducted with one family (parents
of a preschool-aged child). The pilot test aimed to assess
the clarity and effectiveness of the interview process and to
identify any gaps in the instrument.13 No difficulties were
reported in understanding or answering the questions, and
no modifications were necessary, so the original version of
the interview guide was retained.
The interview guide consisted of two sections. The first
contained nine closed-ended questions designed to collect
sociodemographic information about the participants. The
second section featured a semi-structured interview with 12
open-ended questions developed in alignment with the
study objectives, allowing for an in-depth exploration of
participants’ perceptions.
This article analyzes one specific question from the
interview guide, selected from the broader thematic
framework of the original study. The present paper focuses
on a particular dimension of that research—parents’
perceptions of healthy eating for preschool-aged children.
The question analyzed was: “What do you believe defines
healthy eating for preschool-aged children?”
Interviews with parents were conducted in December 2023
and January 2024 at the Alto Minho Family Health Unit.
They were scheduled in advance by a nurse from the unit
based on participant availability and lasted approximately
Varela, M.
Qualitative Original Article
10 minutes. At the start of each interview, the purpose of
the study was explained, confidentiality was ensured, and
participants were asked to sign the Informed Consent
Form.
During the interviews, participants were encouraged to
express their thoughts and feelings freely and
spontaneously. They were assured of confidentiality and
informed that they could withdraw from the study at any
time without penalty or consequence.
All interviews were audio-recorded with prior consent to
ensure a complete and accurate record of participants’
verbal responses.
Each recording was transcribed in full shortly after the
interview, including pauses and emotional expressions such
as laughter. Transcriptions were completed as promptly as
possible to help preserve nonverbal behaviors—such as
posture, facial expressions, body language, crying, and
laughter—which, although not captured in audio, were
considered important to the study’s findings.
Within this context, we identified and highlighted the
words that conveyed the core meanings of participants’
responses, which were then subjected to a systematic
coding process. For data analysis, we used thematic content
analysis following Bardin’s framework.14 Accordingly, the
interview transcripts were analyzed systematically based on
Bardin’s established procedures.14
This process led to the emergence of analytical categories
that reflected how parents perceive healthy eating in
preschool-aged children.
To carry out this research, we first obtained approval from
the coordinator of the Family Health Unit and
subsequently submitted the project to the Administrative
Board of the Alto Minho Local Health Unit (ULSAM) for
review by the ULSAM Ethics Committee.
Results
We begin the result section with the sample description, as
understanding participant profiles is essential for
interpreting the data and contextualizing the findings. All
10 participants were women—mothers of preschool-aged
children—representing 100% of the study population.
Participant ages ranged from 31 to 47 years, with a mean of
39 and a standard deviation of 4.8. The largest age group
was 36–40 years (40%), followed by 31–35 years (30%).
The remaining participants were 41–45 years (20%) and
46–50 years (10%). As for the educational level, three
participants (30%) had completed secondary education,
three (30%) held a college degree, and four had completed
only basic education—two up to lower secondary (third
cycle) and two up to upper primary (second cycle).
Participants reported a variety of occupations, with a
notable concentration in the textile industry: two
seamstresses, one garment presser, and one factory worker,
together accounting for 40% of the sample. Nine
participants were employed, and one (10%) was
unemployed. Place of residence was classified into three
categories: village, town, and city. Half of the participants
lived in a village, four in a town, and one in a city. Regarding
the marital status, although four categories were initially
considered, all participants reported being married or in a
common-law marriage, totaling 100% of the sample. The
children’s average age was 4.3 years: six were 5 years old,
three were 3, and one was 4. As for the number of children,
eight participants had two children, one had one child, and
one had three.
Diagram 1. Parental perceptions of healthy eating for preschool-aged children
Parental perceptions of healthy eating for preschool-aged children
Vegetable intake (n = 5)
Fruit intake (n = 2)
Balanced and varied dietão (n = 6)
Sugar restriction (n = 1)
Dairy intake (n = 2)
Pensar Enfermagem / v.29 n.01 / June 2025
DOI: 10.71861/pensarenf.v29i1.388 / e00388
Qualitative Original Article
Nutrition plays a critical role in healthy child growth,
particularly during the preschool years. At this rapid
development stage, offering a balanced diet is essential to
support physical and cognitive development.15
In this study, parents’ perceptions of healthy eating for
preschool-aged children were explored and analyzed,
resulting in five main categories: “vegetable intake,” “fruit
intake,” “balanced and varied diet,” “sugar restriction,” and
“dairy intake” (see Diagram 1). The category “vegetable
intake” was mentioned by five parents, and a few illustrative
excerpts are presented below:
• P1 - (…) eat all the vegetables, the soup, (...);
• P2 - (…) always eat soup, try to eat as healthy as possible
(…);
• P5 - (…) anything with vegetables—he eats a lot of
vegetables (…).
The category “fruit intake” was mentioned by two parents,
as illustrated below:
• P1 - (…) eat all (…) the fruit, (…);
• P3 - (…) but we always eat (…) and then dessert, which
is usually a piece of fruit or (…).
The category with the highest number of responses was
“balanced and varied diet,” mentioned by six parents.
Selected excerpts include:
• P4 - (…) we have to include a little bit of everything, right?
He can’t always eat pasta—he needs to eat rice, potatoes,
vegetables. Right now, for example, he still eats soup at
every meal. It has to be varied (…);
• P6 - (…) varied, healthy, I don’t know. Vegetables,
fruits, eat everything (…);
• P8 - (…) a bit of everything (…);
• P9 - (…) he eats soup, his meal, and a snack—usually
I’m the one who packs it for school, so I choose what he
eats. And basically that’s it—fruit (…).
The category “sugar restriction” was mentioned by only
one parent, as reflected in the following response:
• P2 - (…) always avoid sugars, (…) avoid gummies, avoid
chocolate, avoid all that stuff (…).
The category “dairy intake” was mentioned by two parents:
• P3 - (…) and then dessert, which is usually (…) or a
yogurt (…);
• P7 - (…) eat a yogurt, a bit of cheese, because they also
like cheese (…).
Discussion
Parents’ perceptions of healthy eating during the preschool
years represent a critical area of study, as they directly shape
children’s food choices and, in turn, their growth and
development. Parental knowledge about nutrition plays a
pivotal role in promoting healthy eating habits, particularly
during early childhood—a foundational stage in the
development of food preferences that often persist
throughout life.16
In this study, most participants emphasized the importance
of a “balanced and varied diet,” highlighting the need to
include different food groups in children’s daily meals. This
perception is consistent with the recommendations of the
Portuguese Directorate-General for Health (DGS), which
underscores the importance of dietary diversity, balance,
and adequacy for healthy child development.5,15 However,
existing literature indicates that, despite this awareness,
parental knowledge does not always translate into
appropriate feeding practices.12,18
“Vegetable intake” was among the most frequently
mentioned aspects by parents, with soup identified as a
common strategy for incorporating vegetables into
children’s diets. Previous studies confirm that soup is
widely used in Portuguese households to promote
vegetable consumption. However, concerns remain as to
whether this practice truly encourages the acceptance of
vegetables in other forms.12,15 The DGS recommends a
diversified approach to vegetable intake, emphasizing that
it should not rely exclusively on soup to prevent
overdependence on this format.5,15 Likewise, the World
Health Organization (WHO) underscores the importance
of a daily intake of at least 400 grams of fruits and
vegetables to ensure adequate micronutrient consumption
and promote health.3
In addition to vegetables, parents also emphasized the
importance of fruit and dairy products, along with limiting
sugar intake. Although these themes emerged less
frequently, the literature consistently highlights their role in
early childhood nutrition. Regular fruit consumption
provides fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants that help prevent
chronic disease.15,18 Still, research shows that fruit and
vegetable intake remains below recommended levels,
influenced by home availability and parental modeling.12,20
Similarly, dairy products are an important source of calcium
and other essential nutrients for bone development, though
children’s acceptance often depends on family dietary
habits.5,15
Sugar restriction was explicitly mentioned by one parent,
highlighting a growing concern over the adverse effects of
excessive sugar intake—such as increased risk of dental
caries and childhood obesity. This concern is consistent
with research showing that high consumption of added
sugars is associated with a greater prevalence of metabolic
Varela, M.
Qualitative Original Article
disorders and altered eating behaviors in children.15,16,19
The WHO recommends limiting free sugar intake to less
than 10% of total daily energy intake and suggests reducing
it further to below 5% whenever possible to maximize
health benefits.3
Although the family’s influence on children’s eating habits
is well established, there remains a gap in research regarding
the factors that shape parents’ everyday food purchasing
decisions.17 Studies indicate that nutritional knowledge
does not automatically lead to healthier choices. Having
access to information does not ensure its practical
application—particularly when parents face obstacles such
as time constraints, marketing pressures, or limited access
to healthy options.12 Nevertheless, evidence shows that,
despite these challenges, increased nutritional knowledge
can positively influence food choices, especially by
promoting higher intake of fruits and vegetables.12,18
Previous studies conducted in Portugal support this view.
For example, one study that validated the Child Feeding
Questionnaire (CFQ) with 559 parents found that most
demonstrated good knowledge of child nutrition (52.1%),
although some gaps were noted—especially among
fathers.12 Another study involving 792 parents of
preschool-aged children found that 51.9% had good
knowledge of healthy eating, with mothers reporting higher
levels of nutritional understanding.20 These findings
suggest that while general knowledge is relatively high,
there is still room to strengthen parental nutrition
education.
Because children learn through observation and imitation,
parents play a decisive role in shaping their eating habits.
Numerous studies highlight that, beyond knowledge,
parents’ own adoption of a healthy lifestyle is essential for
children to develop balanced and sustainable eating
behaviors over time.21,22 The literature emphasizes that
parent-centered nutrition education should be prioritized in
health promotion programs—not only to ensure parents
understand the importance of healthy eating but also to
support the application of that knowledge in everyday
family routines.12,15,16
In this context, future research should further explore the
factors that influence parental food choices and support the
development of effective intervention strategies to enhance
the application of nutritional knowledge in everyday life.
Investing in parent education and in promoting healthy
eating practices from early childhood may be a key strategy
for preventing nutrition-related problems and fostering the
long-term health of future generations.
Conclusion
This study offered insight into parents’ perceptions of
healthy eating during the preschool years, emphasizing the
value placed on a balanced and varied diet, along with the
importance of vegetable, fruit, and dairy intake, and the
need to restrict sugar consumption.
There was broad awareness of the vital role nutrition plays
in child growth and development, which was reflected in a
generally positive attitude toward promoting healthy eating
habits. However, the findings also revealed practical
challenges in putting these guidelines into practice—often
related to family routines, children’s food preferences, and
other everyday constraints.
Based on these findings, we conclude that although parents
hold favorable views of healthy eating, barriers persist in
fully implementing these practices in the family setting.
These results underscore the need to develop support
strategies responsive to families’ specific contexts and
promote more favorable conditions for adopting healthy
eating behaviors from early childhood, contributing to
long-term health outcomes in children.
The main limitation of this study is its qualitative design,
which does not allow for the generalization of findings. The
conclusions apply solely to the specific context examined
and are not directly transferable to other populations
or settings.
An exhaustive literature search was conducted in
specialized databases to identify publications from the past
five years. However, it became clear that, within the scope
of this topic, the most relevant theoretical contributions
date from earlier periods. This observation may reflect the
maturity and stability of the theoretical foundations
supporting this research field, in which the core concepts
have remained largely unchanged over time. Thus, the
inclusion of older references is justified, as these works
constitute a robust and widely accepted framework for
understanding the phenomenon under study.
Given these limitations, future research should aim to
expand the sample to encompass diverse geographic and
sociocultural contexts, thereby enhancing the
generalizability of findings. Employing mixed-methods
approaches may complement the depth of qualitative
inquiry with broader quantitative analysis. It is also
advisable to include the perspectives of additional
stakeholders—such as children and education
professionals—and to conduct longitudinal studies that
monitor the evolution of parental perceptions over time.
Finally, ongoing engagement with the scientific literature in
this field is essential to incorporate recent theoretical and
empirical contributions that can refine and enrich
understanding of the phenomenon under study.
Pensar Enfermagem / v.29 n.01 / June 2025
DOI: 10.71861/pensarenf.v29i1.388 / e00388
Qualitative Original Article
Authorship and Contributions
MV: Conception and design of the study; data collection;
analysis and interpretation of the data; writing and revision
of the manuscript; approval of the final version and
assumption of responsibility.
IV: Conception of the study design; data collection;
approval of the final version and assumption of
responsibility.
MC: Guidance in: study conception and design; data analysis
and interpretation; critical revision of the manuscript;
approval of the final version and assumption of
responsibility.
Conflicts of interest and Funding
No conflicts of interest were declared by the authors.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank all the participants in this
study and ULSAM, in particular the USF that made it
possible.
Sources of support / Financing
The study was not funded by any funding organisation.
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