Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Perceived Picky Eating in a Low-Income, Primarily Hispanic Sample.

This was a secondary analysis of data from a trial of a general parenting program, not a trial designed to test feeding outcomes. The trial did not target feeding behaviors as part of its curriculum. Picky eating was measured by mother report, not by watching the child eat, so the scores may reflect the mother's view as much as the child's behavior. Maternal depressive symptoms and negative perceptions were measured only at child age 6 months, so the study could not show which came first. The study did not measure feeding concerns before age 14 months, so it could not test whether early feeding worries led to later maternal distress. The sample was low-income and primarily Hispanic, so results may not apply to other families. Diet data were missing for 59 of 187 families, and those with diet data were more likely to be in the VIP group and less likely to have baseline psychosocial risk. Growth data were missing for 15 of 187 children. The control group combined usual care and Building Blocks, so the comparison was VIP versus a mixed control condition. VIP was a multi-session package, including video feedback and planning, so no single component can be credited.

Do not read the lower perceived picky eating score in VIP families as proof that the parenting intervention treats a child feeding problem. The outcome was the mother's report, the program did not target feeding, and the study did not establish a causal effect.