Status of eating behaviours and food education for children aged 6–35 months in Beijing, China: a cross-sectional study

Background: Infancy and early childhood are critical periods for establishing lifelong eating habits. Current practices regarding children aged <3 years often prioritise nutritional intake over food education. We investigated eating behaviours and food education among children aged 6-35 months in Beijing, China. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey from June to September 2024 among primary caregivers of children aged 6-35 months recruited via convenience sampling from 388 community health centres in Beijing. We collected data via a self-administered online questionnaire, which participating caregivers completed by scanning the questionnaire's quick response code on WeChat. Results: We surveyed a total of 876 caregivers. Caregivers reported picky eating in 12.7%, prolonged mealtime in 19.5%, and inattentive eating in 16.0% of children. Consumption of unhealthy foods and sugar-sweetened beverages was reported in 38.9% and 20.8% of children. A high proportion of children were classified as having moderate or severe levels of food neophobia (97.0%). Multivariable analysis identified child age, nursery attendance, and caregiver education as key factors associated with eating behaviours and dietary consumption. Although >95.0% of caregivers recognised the importance of food education, only 32.2% frequently conducted food education activities at home. Conclusions: Eating behaviour problems and food neophobia are widespread among children aged 6-35 months in Beijing. Developmentally appropriate food education may help address the awareness-practice gap and promote healthy eating habits.