Healthy eating attitudes of caregivers of children with special needs and their association with children’s eating behaviors: a cross-sectional study

Caregivers of children with special needs play a crucial role in maintaining their overall health, including ensuring adequate nutrition and promoting healthy eating behaviors. Children with special needs often experience feeding difficulties due to motor, sensory, or behavioral challenges, which may lead to inadequate nutrient intake and growth delays. These challenges highlight the importance of caregivers’ attitudes toward healthy eating, as their nutritional awareness and behaviors directly influence the dietary habits and well-being of these children. This study aimed to investigate the healthy eating attitudes of caregivers of children with special needs and to examine the relationship between these attitudes and children’s eating behaviors. A descriptive and correlational design was employed. Data were collected from 194 caregivers using a Socio-Demographic Questionnaire, the Attitude Scale for Healthy Nutrition, and the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test for group comparisons, and Spearman’s correlation analysis. Among participants, 83% were female, with a mean age of 45.86 ± 7.82 years. The mean healthy eating attitude score was 74.58 ± 11.96 (Min: 40- Max: 103). For children’s eating behaviors, mean scores were 17.35 ± 5.57 (Min: 6- Max: 29) for satiety responsiveness, 16.23 ± 5.16 (Min: 5- Max: 25) for enjoyment of food, and 12.62 ± 4.90 (Min: 5- Max: 25) for food responsiveness. Caregivers’ income significantly influenced eating attitudes, and those without chronic diseases demonstrated more positive attitudes. Children’s eating behaviors varied by gender and type of special need. Positive caregiver attitudes were associated with higher enjoyment of food and lower emotional overeating and satiety responsiveness in children. Caregivers generally demonstrated strong healthy eating attitudes, which were associated with more adaptive eating behaviors in their children. Enhancing caregivers’ healthy eating attitudes through targeted educational and psychosocial interventions may promote healthier eating patterns and improve the overall well-being of children with special needs.