From Picky Eaters to Nourished Explorers: Unveiling the Power of Responsive Feeding in Enhancing Young Children’s Nutrition

Abstract

Responsive feeding is crucial in changing the nutrition and overall health outcomes of young children. The purpose of this narrative review is to give a comprehensive synthesis of the existing literature on responsive feeding and its impact on the nutrition of young infants. This review sheds insight on the essential principles, problems, and best practices connected with responsive feeding by reviewing a variety of studies from various situations. It emphasizes reciprocal caregiver-child relationships as well as the significance of being aware of children's hunger and satiety cues. It delves at the various aspects that influence responsive feeding, such as cultural, social, and familial dynamics. The review also emphasizes the function of responsive feeding in maintaining healthy eating habits, reducing childhood obesity, and promoting optimal growth and development in young children. The study emphasizes the importance of early nutrition interventions that emphasize responsive feeding as a means of improving nutritional quality and establishing healthy eating habits at a young age. It also discusses the difficulties that caregivers experience when implementing responsive feeding methods, such as competing societal norms and external influences. Furthermore, the review identifies data gaps and recommends additional studies to investigate the long-term impacts of responsive feeding on children's nutrition, and health outcomes. In conclusion, the narrative review underlines the significance of responsive feeding in supporting optimal nutrition and healthy eating habits in young children.