Parents' Experiences From Participating in an Online Peer Support Child Feeding Intervention: The "PICNIC Sweden" Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND

Parents' feeding practices play a role in shaping children's dietary patterns, which influence chronic disease risk. Feeding children is challenging, so parents need guidance and support. Parents In Child Nutrition Informing Community (PICNIC) is an Australian program that promotes responsive child feeding using dietitian-led training and online communication, then facilitates peer-to-peer information sharing within parents' social networks.

OBJECTIVE

This pilot study aimed to test the feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and perceived impact of PICNIC with Swedish parents.

METHODS

This explanatory sequential mixed methods study involved 47 parents of children aged 0 to 24 months. Parents attended a 2-hour online dietitian-led workshop, followed by 2 months of child nutrition and feeding support in a moderated, closed Facebook group. Quantitative data from digital questionnaires (n=43) were analyzed and integrated with qualitative findings from thematic analysis of semistructured interviews (n=15).

RESULTS

Parents attended 1 of 10 workshops, and 4 to 5 posts per week (of which 20% were participants' questions) were shared in the project's Facebook group. Both quantitative and qualitative data indicated parents' child feeding knowledge and parental self-efficacy increased after participation. Parents reported that the intervention filled a gap in the existing support from child health services, strengthening their confidence in child feeding, while providing a sense of recognition and community. PICNIC information was described as trustworthy, shareable, and something to "lean on." Parents valued the social interaction during the workshops but also suggested providing recorded content for easier access.

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot study demonstrated high acceptability and appropriateness of the PICNIC intervention model among parents in Sweden. This study will inform the design of an adapted version of PICNIC to be offered through child health services.