2020 Volume 23 Issue 2 Pages 4-11
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide insights into how mothers who are also health professionals respond to infant children with regard to giving them their favorite sugar-sweetened beverages, and the basis of their decision-making.
Method: The participants in the study comprised health professionals who work as public nurses for municipalities and have children of elementary school age or younger. Participants were divided into three groups in which focus group discussions were facilitated to learn about their thinking regarding giving children sugar-sweetened beverages; the data were analyzed using the Steps for Coding and Theorization (SCAT) method.
Results: The circumstances included varied factors such as location, who was present, and the child’s current condition. Mothers approached drink preferences with three different options: “strict restriction,” “providing childcare needs,” and “acceptance in consideration of relatives.” Their responses to providing a favorite beverage followed a “triple standard response” that changed according to the situation while taking into account these three options.
Discussion: These results show the actual situation of mothers who wish their children to have as few sugar-sweetened beverages as possible during infancy when selecting the response appropriate to their situation. In the future, it is necessary to identify effective support methods to inhibit habituation to sugar-sweetened beverages by infants.
