Exploring the role of parental food environment in shaping the eating habits of children aged 3-5 years old: A qualitative study

Abstract:
Introduction: Processed food consumption—including sweet snacks, sugary beverages, salty snacks, fatty foods, and instant noodles—remains prevalent among children under five in Jakarta. The 2023 Indonesian Health Survey and 2022 Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey reported high rates of consumption and a significant number of wasting cases, potentially linked to poor dietary intake. These trends are especially concerning in urban areas like Jakarta, where children are increasingly exposed to a complex food environment filled with highly accessible and aggressively marketed unhealthy foods. Understanding the role of parental food environment is critical to addressing early childhood nutrition challenges. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in two densely populated subdistricts of Central Jakarta. In-depth interviews were carried out with 16 mothers of children under five, while triangulation was achieved through additional interviews with three grandmothers. To enrich the narratives, mothers were asked to recall their children’s snack consumption over the past month, and observations of nearby food outlets were also recorded. All data were analysed thematically using NVivo 14.
Results: Most mothers allowed processed food consumption due to children’s preferences or difficulty refusing requests. Local shops and mini markets frequently tempted children with sweets, leading some mothers to attempt restrictions. However, inconsistent enforcement, particularly by fathers and grandmothers, undermined these efforts. Marketing strategies such as mascots, discounts, and
repeated exposure further reinforced children’s demands. Conclusion: Mothers struggled to manage children’s snack demands due to high accessibility, but regulating purchases with consistent support from all household caregivers can help reduce unhealthy food consumption.