Search Results (381)

Background: Cow’s milk-derived fortifier (CMDF) is widely used to improve the nutritional adequacy of human milk for very preterm infants. Although generally well-tolerated, feeding difficulties may occur during CMDF use. Characterizing these events and their associated clinical factors may improve the understanding of feeding tolerance in routine neonatal practice. Objective: To characterize documented adverse feeding events among infants receiving donor human milk (DHM) and CMDF and to identify clinical characteristics associated with these events. Methods: This retrospective nationwide cohort study used the Japanese Human Milk Bank Database. Infants receiving DHM and CMDF were included. Clinical characteristics were compared between infants with and without documented adverse feeding events, and multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate associated factors. Results: Among the 2587 infants receiving DHM and CMDF, 2476 had available adverse-event information. Adverse feeding events were documented in 315 infants (12.7%), most commonly abdominal distension, increased gastric residuals, vomiting, and suspected cow’s milk protein allergy. Infants with documented adverse feeding events had lower gestational age and birth weight and required longer to reach an enteral feeding volume of 100 mL/kg/day. In multivariable analysis, delayed achievement of 100 mL/kg/day remained associated with documented adverse feeding events, whereas gestational age, birth weight, and sex were not independently associated. Routine clinical variables showed limited discriminatory ability (AUC 0.611). Conclusions: Most infants receiving CMDF had no documented adverse feeding events. Slower progression to an enteral feeding volume of 100 mL/kg/day was associated with documented adverse feeding events; however, the temporal relationship among feeding progression, CMDF initiation, and adverse events could not be established. These findings should therefore be considered hypothesis-generating rather than predictive and require prospective validation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cleft palate is developmentally and clinically distinct from cleft lip with or without cleft palate. Prenatal ultrasound reliably identifies clefts involving the lip but performs poorly for the secondary palate, whereas early feeding difficulty is concentrated in palatal clefts. These two observations have not previously been quantified within a single cohort. We aimed to determine whether prenatal detectability and neonatal feeding support requirements follow opposite gradients across cleft phenotypes. Methods: We conducted an ambispective study of a nationally ascertained referral-centre cohort of 328 consecutive children with an orofacial cleft and no clinically recognised syndrome, managed at the national referral centre for cleft surgery in Croatia. The cohort comprises children reaching surgical care and is not a population-based birth registry. Documented prenatal ultrasound diagnosis and feeding method during the first weeks of life were abstracted from medical records; cleft phenotype was confirmed by clinical examination. Proportions were compared with chi-square tests and exact binomial confidence intervals, and factors independently associated with each outcome were identified by multivariable logistic regression. Results: Overall prenatal detection was 76/316 (24.1%; 95% CI 19.4–29.2). Detection differed markedly by phenotype: 38.2% for cleft lip only, 34.0% for cleft lip and palate and 2.0% for cleft palate only (p < 0.001). Nasogastric tube feeding was required by 46/325 children (14.2%; 95% CI 10.6–18.4) and followed the opposite gradient: 0.0%, 14.2% and 24.8%, respectively (p < 0.001). Isolated cleft palate showed the strongest independent negative association with prenatal detection (adjusted OR 0.037; 95% CI 0.009–0.154) and was independently associated with tube feeding (adjusted OR 3.07; 95% CI 1.37–6.89). Of children requiring tube feeding, 43/46 (93.5%; 95% CI 82.1–98.6) had not been detected prenatally. Observed detection rose with year of birth in unadjusted analysis (OR 1.095 per year; 95% CI 1.012–1.185; p = 0.023) but was attenuated and no longer significant after adjustment (OR 1.071; 95% CI 0.991–1.157; p = 0.082); the temporal trend is therefore reported descriptively. An initial refer result at newborn hearing screening was markedly more frequent in children with palatal involvement than in those with cleft lip only (2.8%, 31.6% and 25.5% for cleft lip only, cleft lip and palate and cleft palate only; p < 0.001), contrasting cleft lip only with clefts involving the palate rather than following a monotonic gradient. Conclusions: Prenatal detectability and neonatal nasogastric tube use follow opposite gradients across cleft phenotypes. Children with cleft palate only are simultaneously the least likely to be identified before birth and the most likely to require assisted feeding, and almost all tube-fed infants arrive without a prenatal diagnosis. These findings support, as a practice consideration, routine structured neonatal feeding assessment for every newborn with a palatal cleft irrespective of prenatal findings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Conflict-driven displacement can disrupt food environments, health services, and caregiver practices, increasing the risk of unhealthy feeding behaviors among young children. Evidence from ethnic internally displaced populations (IDPs) in Myanmar remains scarce. This study examined the prevalence and determinants of unhealthy feeding practices among IDP mothers of children aged 6–23 months. Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed-method study was conducted among 617 mothers in Karen ethnic IDP camps in Myanmar. Structured interviews were used to assess mother-reported zero vegetable or fruit consumption (ZVF) and unhealthy food consumption (UFC) among children, and multivariable logistic regression identified associated factors. Subsequently, six focus group discussions explored contextual influences on feeding practices and were analyzed via thematic analysis. The findings were integrated using a joint display approach. Results: A total of 29.2% of children experienced ZVF, while 57.5% consumed unhealthy foods. Mothers who attended fewer than the recommended antenatal care (ANC) visits were more likely to report both ZVF (AOR = 1.968, 95% CI: 1.297–2.988) and UFC (AOR = 1.830, 95% CI: 1.265–2.649). Higher maternal decision-making autonomy was also associated with increased odds of ZVF (AOR = 1.757, 95% CI: 1.031–2.995) and UFC (AOR = 1.606, 95% CI: 1.040–2.481). Other associated factors included child age, household income, family structure, paternal employment, and household dietary practices. Qualitative findings identified six themes influencing feeding practices: “familiarity breeds acceptance”, “traditional beliefs and food restrictions”, “constrained local food environments”, “time constraints and convenience feeding”, “preference for sweet foods”, and “disrupted access to health and nutrition services”. Conclusions: Unhealthy feeding practices were common in this displaced population. Greater maternal decision-making autonomy was not necessarily associated with healthier feeding practices, highlighting the importance of nutrition literacy and supportive food environments. Community-based nutrition interventions may help improve complementary feeding practices in conflict-affected settings. Full article

Early childhood dental caries (ECC) remains one of the most prevalent and preventable chronic diseases affecting young children globally, yet behavioral and contextual determinants of its onset during the first 1000 days of life remain poorly understood and infrequently modeled in Latin American populations. This study presents a novel application of the PRECEDE diagnostic framework to conceptualize Early Childhood Dental Caries during the first 1000 days (1000ECDC) as a behaviorally rooted, socio-ecologically conditioned health problem. Drawing on a formative longitudinal pilot study (n = 10 mother–infant dyads, Caracas, Venezuela) and a complementary narrative literature review, we develop the first PRECEDE-based conceptual model linking maternal prenatal and postnatal behaviors to dental caries risk in a Latin American context. The model identifies dietary and feeding behaviors, oral health care practices, and healthcare service utilization as primary behavioral risk factors, modulated by predisposing factors (low oral health knowledge, limited self-efficacy, cultural norms), enabling factors (socioeconomic constraints, fragmented health systems), and reinforcing factors (social norms, family influence). Exploratory pilot findings indicated that more than 60% of children had advanced dental caries lesions at 24-month follow-up, consistent with regional estimates and underscoring the urgency of early intervention. This model provides practitioners and policymakers with a structured, evidence-informed diagnostic tool to guide the design of early-life oral health promotion programs, with particular relevance for low-resource Latin American settings. Future validation through expert consensus and prospective studies is warranted. Full article

Early-life nutrition and the gut microbiota interact to shape host health programming. During early-life development, spanning the neonatal period of initial gut colonization through infancy to toddlerhood, the gut microbiota undergoes dynamic succession driven by feeding patterns, host genetic background, environmental exposures, and other intrinsic and extrinsic factors, among which early feeding practices play a particularly prominent role. Among these factors, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), key bioactive components of human milk, contribute to the shaping of infant gut microbial ecology by selectively supporting HMO-utilizing bacteria, influencing microbial metabolism and cross-feeding, and exhibiting structure- and context-dependent effects on pathogen–host interactions, intestinal barrier function, and immune responses. This narrative review summarizes the succession patterns of the gut microbiota in early life and the core regulatory mechanisms by which HMOs shape infant gut microbial ecology, aiming to provide a conceptual basis for understanding the potential long-term health implications of early nutritional interventions. Full article

Background: Donor human milk (DHM) is recommended when the mother’s own milk (MOM) is unavailable for extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. However, the impact of DHM implementation on NICUs with already high human milk utilization remains incompletely characterized. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the association between DHM implementation and feeding practices, feeding progression, parenteral nutrition (PN) exposure, and major neonatal morbidities in ELBW infants. Methods: We conducted a retrospective before–after cohort study in a single tertiary NICU including 116 ELBW infants with feeding data through day 28 (58 pre-DHM; 58 post-DHM). Exploratory multivariable models evaluated factors associated with NEC and PN duration. Results: In the post-DHM epoch, enteral feeding was initiated earlier (2 vs. 2.5 days, p < 0.001) and full enteral feeding was achieved sooner (14 vs. 24.5 days, p < 0.001). PN duration was numerically shorter (17.5 vs. 27 days, p = 0.088). Feeding shifted from predominantly exclusive MOM to mixed MOM + DHM regimens, eliminating formula-only feeding. NEC, feeding intolerance, bloodstream infection, and mortality did not differ between epochs. Feeding intolerance was associated with NEC, whereas lower gestational age predicted longer PN duration; epoch was not independently associated with either outcome. Conclusions: In this high-MOM NICU, DHM implementation was associated mainly with earlier feeding progression and reduced formula reliance, without a measurable reduction in NEC. Full article

Background/Objectives: The predictive value of the Nursing Child Assessment Feeding Scale (NCAFS) for eating, diet, and growth outcomes among healthy infants is not well-described. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, healthy infants (n = 227) were assessed with the NCAFS at 0.5, 2, and 4 months and outcomes were measured concurrently and at 12 months. Maternal feeding and infant eating behaviors were observed during a separate feeding and assessed with the Infant Feeding Styles Questionnaire, Baby Eating Behavior Questionnaire, Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire-Toddler, and a diet questionnaire. Sucking was measured and anthropometry obtained. Results: In mixed models with repeated measures, concurrent associations included maternal verbalization while waiting for a separate feeding with maternal Sensitivity to Cues (β = 0.80) and maternal Cognitive Growth Fostering (β = 1.05); maternal verbalization during a separate feeding with maternal Social–Emotional Growth Fostering (β = 1.10) and maternal Cognitive Growth Fostering (β = 1.37); suck duration with infant Clarity of Cues (β = −5.35); feeding duration with maternal Social–Emotional Growth Fostering (β = 0.04), maternal Cognitive Growth Fostering (β = 0.03), and infant Responsiveness to Caregiver (β = 0.06); and bottle-feeding intensity with maternal Social–Emotional Growth Fostering (β = −1.11). Prospective associations included maternal Sensitivity to Cues with infant weight-for-length z-score change per month (β = −0.02) and maternal Social–Emotional Growth Fostering with breastmilk feeding intensity (β = 0.06). Conclusions: Associations were primarily null. However, more social interaction during feeding, less nutritive sucking (i.e., shorter suck duration), longer feeding duration, and lower bottle-feeding intensity were associated with more optimal NCAFS scores concurrently, and more optimal NCAFS scores were associated with lower weight-for-length z-score change and greater breastmilk feeding intensity prospectively. Full article

Background/Objectives: Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) is an increasingly adopted complementary feeding approach in which infants self-feed family foods rather than being spoon-fed purées. Caregivers’ attitudes play a central role in its adoption and implementation, yet no validated instrument has been specifically designed to assess caregivers’ attitudes toward BLW. This study aimed to develop and psychometrically validate the BLW Caregiver Attitudes Scale (BLW-CAS). Methods: A methodological psychometric study was conducted in two phases. Scale development involved a literature review, expert panel evaluation, and cognitive pretesting with caregivers. Psychometric validation was conducted among 256 caregivers, while temporal stability was assessed in an independent test–retest sample of 92 caregivers. Content validity, internal consistency, temporal stability, construct validity, and convergent validity were examined using established psychometric methods. Results: The final 16-item BLW-CAS comprised three dimensions: Predisposition, Self-efficacy, and Practical Skills. The revised scale achieved an S-CVI/Ave of 0.93. The three-factor exploratory solution accounted for 67.46% of the total item variance. The three-factor CFA model showed good overall fit (CFI = 0.995; TLI = 0.994; RMSEA = 0.052; SRMR = 0.066). Internal consistency was acceptable to excellent across subscales (α = 0.757–0.913; ω = 0.807–0.953), and test–retest reliability was good (ICC = 0.832). Positive small-to-moderate correlations with general self-efficacy (r = 0.298) and decision satisfaction (r = 0.350) supported convergent validity. Conclusions: The Spanish BLW-CAS is a concise, multidimensional instrument with promising psychometric properties for assessing caregivers’ attitudes toward BLW, supporting future research and the evaluation of interventions related to complementary feeding practices. Full article

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding is recognized as an effective public health intervention; however, its practice is shaped by complex social, emotional, and cultural dynamics, particularly within collectivist societies. This study aims to explore in depth the meaning of exclusive breastfeeding in the early postpartum period within the socio-cultural context of the Banjar community with a focus on postpartum stress and the dynamics of social support. Methods: This qualitative study, grounded in a constructivist paradigm and designed as a case study, was conducted among 15 Banjar mothers aged 18–35 years with infants aged 0–6 weeks in Banjarmasin City and Banjar Regency, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke between May and August 2024. All interview data were translated and verified through collaborative review among bilingual researchers to ensure accuracy. Results: The analysis identified five main themes: breastfeeding knowledge, social support, postpartum stress, attitudes toward breastfeeding, and exclusive breastfeeding practices. Although some participants experienced formula introduction, breastfeeding practices were often described as efforts to maintain exclusive breastfeeding rather than continuous exclusive adherence. The findings reveal that breastfeeding is interpreted not only as nutritional provision but also as a relational, moral, and religious practice embedded within collectivist values and Islamic teachings. Social support is experienced as ambivalent, functioning as both a protective and normative force within extended family structures. Postpartum stress specifically related to breastfeeding emerges from limited early initiation of breastfeeding, surrounding formula-feeding dilemmas, and internal conflicts between feelings of guilt and commitment to breastfeeding. Maternal attitudes are shaped by personal commitment, religious beliefs, and critical reflections on medical interventions, while exclusive breastfeeding practices are enacted through adaptive strategies, breast milk management, and reinforcement from the social environment. Conclusions: This study provides a context-sensitive understanding of early postpartum exclusive breastfeeding as a culturally embedded maternal experience. By highlighting how social support, cultural expectations, postpartum stress, and maternal attitudes intersect to shape breastfeeding practices, the study contributes new insights for culturally grounded maternal health interventions in collectivist Muslim societies. Full article

Background: Infants born small for gestational age (SGA) are at increased risk of altered postnatal growth and early metabolic vulnerability. Early feeding practices may modulate these outcomes, but evidence from Eastern Europe remains limited. Objective: To evaluate the influence of birth weight and early nutrition on anthropometric outcomes at 2–3 years of age in former SGA infants in Romania, and to examine associations with allergies, respiratory infections, and food intolerances. Methods: We conducted a retrospective comparative study including two cohorts of term SGA infants born in a Romanian tertiary hospital in 2010–2011 (n = 600) and 2020–2021 (n = 508). Perinatal data were extracted from medical records; anthropometrics and feeding practices at 2–3 years were obtained via parental telephone interviews. BMI z-scores were calculated using WHO standards. Logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of overweight/obesity and selected health outcomes. Results: Breastfeeding increased markedly over one decade (59.1% vs. 35.5%, p < 0.001), as did appropriate complementary feeding (74.2% vs. 66.3%, p = 0.005). Obesity prevalence decreased from 29.5% to 22.4% at 2 years and from 32.7% to 20.7% at 3 years (both p < 0.001), while overweight prevalence increased slightly. In the historical cohort, mixed feeding (vs. formula) predicted overweight/obesity at 2 years (aOR 2.55, 95% CI 1.52–4.43, p < 0.001); the association was directionally similar but not significant in the contemporary cohort (aOR 1.62, 95% CI 0.75–3.47, p = 0.215). Breastfeeding was protective in both cohorts. Appropriate complementary feeding was associated with lower allergy prevalence in the historical cohort (14.8% vs. 24.8%, p = 0.004). Food intolerances increased over time (16.3% to 27.6%, p < 0.001), while respiratory infections showed no significant differences. Conclusions: In this Romanian SGA population, early feeding practices improved substantially over one decade and were associated with more favorable weight outcomes, including a notable reduction in obesity. Mixed feeding emerged as a potential risk factor for early overweight, whereas breastfeeding remained protective. Despite these improvements, former SGA infants continue to exhibit elevated risk for early-onset overweight and obesity, underscoring the need for targeted nutritional counseling and longitudinal monitoring. Full article

Background/Objectives: Early childhood is an important period when growth and adiposity patterns emerge and may persist into later childhood. Children enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) face elevated obesity risk. We characterized BMI-for-age z-score (BMIz) trajectories from 24 to 60 months and their child-, caregiver-, and household-level correlates. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2 (ITFPS-2) public-use dataset. We analyzed 5,583 BMIz observations from 2,247 dyads; adjusted models used 4,314 observations from 1,738 children. Linear mixed-effects models tested individual, interpersonal, and household predictors. Restriction and pressure-to-eat were lagged, time-varying exposures. Results: Mean BMIz was elevated at all waves (0.46 to 0.56). Obesity prevalence rose from 15.4% to 18.5%. Unconditionally, BMIz was stable from 24 to 48 months and rose by 60 months. Adjusted models linked higher BMIz to higher birth weight, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, birth complications, maternal overweight or obesity, paternal overweight, prenatal smoking, adolescent maternal age, and lower maternal education. Male sex was associated with lower BMIz. Prior-wave restriction was associated with higher, and pressure to eat with modestly lower, subsequent BMIz. Household indicators showed no independent association. Conclusions: Caregiver and perinatal characteristics and feeding practices were the most consistent modifiable correlates of late-preschool BMIz. These observational, complete-case findings warrant caution. The 48–60-month window may be a promising period to target for WIC-based obesity prevention. Full article

Background/Objectives: Chronic undernutrition in the first 1000 days continues to be a significant public health concern in Ecuador. This study examined associations between infant feeding practices, maternal supplementation, socioeconomic factors, and stunting in the first two years of life using explainable machine-learning methods. Methods: The analysis was based on 8613 eligible children aged 0–23 months from the Ecuadorian National Child Malnutrition Survey (Encuesta Nacional sobre Desnutrición Infantil, ENDI) 2023–2024, of whom 8344 had non-missing stunting status and were included in the final modelling sample. Results: Among the children included in the modelling sample, stunting was observed in 18.7%. Maternal iron and folic-acid supplementation were associated with lower stunting prevalence, while breastfeeding and complementary feeding indicators showed weak linear associations but contributed to model predictions in explainability analyses. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) additionally highlighted geographic and socioeconomic variation, with province, area of residence, and socioeconomic indicators ranking among the features contributing to model prediction. Predictive performance was modest to moderate across models, with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values ranging approximately from 0.62 to 0.66 across the main model specifications. Model performance remained stronger for the majority non-stunted class than for the minority stunted class, highlighting the challenge of detecting stunted children in an imbalanced analytic ENDI sample. Conclusions: Overall, the results suggest that stunting in the analytic sample was represented by multidimensional predictive patterns involving prenatal, nutritional, socioeconomic, and geographic factors, and illustrate the potential value of explainable machine learning for identifying multidimensional risk patterns in child nutrition research. Full article

Background: Early feeding practices are among the most influential determinants of the infant oral microbiota during the first years of life. Breastfeeding provides bioactive components—immunoglobulins, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), and commensal bacteria—that may shape microbial colonisation patterns with long-term implications for oral health. However, the nature, magnitude, and clinical relevance of these effects remain poorly characterised, particularly with regard to early childhood caries (ECC) risk. Objectives: The primary objective was to evaluate the association between early feeding practices and oral microbiota composition during infancy. A secondary exploratory objective was to assess whether feeding-associated microbiota differences had been linked to subsequent dental caries outcomes. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched from January 2010 to June 2026. Eligible studies compared at least two feeding groups and measured oral microbiota directly using culture-independent methods (16S rRNA gene sequencing, metagenomics, or quantitative PCR targeting multiple taxa). Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment using the ROBINS-E tool were performed independently. Qualitative synthesis was conducted given clinical and methodological heterogeneity. Results: Of 8582 records identified, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria (sample size range: 12–448 participants; age range at microbiota assessment: 2 days–14 years, although eligibility was based on feeding exposure during infancy; six countries). Most included studies reported differences in oral microbiota composition associated with feeding type. During the first months of life, breastfed infants generally showed lower oral microbial diversity and higher abundance of Lactobacillus, the Streptococcus mitis group and Bifidobacterium compared with formula-fed infants, who exhibited greater alpha diversity, higher transmission of maternal oral bacteria, and higher abundance of Prevotella and Actinomyces. Effects were most pronounced in the first three months of life and attenuated by 12 months in most cohorts. Only one study reported subsequent dental caries outcomes after early-life microbiota assessment, finding that Streptococcus cristatus abundance at three months was associated with dental caries at nine years of age, and that longer breastfeeding duration (≥12 months) was associated with a distinct microbiota profile and lower caries rates in this single available longitudinal study. Risk of bias was low in two studies, moderate in six, and high in four. Publication bias could not be formally evaluated. Conclusions: Early feeding practices are associated with measurable differences in oral microbiota composition during infancy, particularly during the first months of life. However, evidence linking these microbiota differences to subsequent dental caries outcomes remains extremely limited, with only one included study assessing later caries development. Therefore, the clinical significance of feeding-associated microbiota profiles remains uncertain and should be investigated through well-designed prospective longitudinal studies. Full article

Background: Preterm infants remain vulnerable after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), yet the key components of effective hospital-to-home transitional care remain unclear. Objectives: This systematic review synthesized evidence on hospital-to-home transitional care models for preterm infants and identified intervention characteristics associated with post-discharge infant and parental outcomes. Methods: This PRISMA 2020-guided systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251011887). The protocol was amended to remove the planned meta-analysis because of substantial heterogeneity. Searches were conducted in EBSCO-MEDLINE, Scopus, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library in March 2025 and updated in March 2026. Quantitative and mixed-method studies evaluating hospital-to-home transitional care for preterm infants were included. Findings were synthesized narratively using a SWiM-based approach. Results: Twenty-one studies were included, comprising 4142 study units across infants, parents/caregivers, or infant–parent dyads. Interventions were initiated during NICU admission, at discharge, or after discharge and commonly included discharge preparation, parental education, telehealth support, and care coordination. Several studies reported favorable outcomes related to infant growth, feeding, length of stay, readmission, healthcare utilization, and parental readiness or caregiving competence, although findings varied across intervention types, study designs, and outcome measures. Three non-comparative studies provided additional evidence on feasibility and acceptability. Conclusions: Hospital-to-home transitional care may benefit preterm infants and their families when delivered as a multicomponent, family-centered pathway extending beyond discharge. However, the evidence remains heterogeneous, and practice implications should be interpreted cautiously. Larger comparative studies using standardized infant-centered outcomes are needed, particularly in low- and middle-income settings. Full article

Background/Objective: Parental feeding practices play an important role in shaping children’s dietary intake, eating behaviours, and long-term health outcomes. Although several questionnaires assess feeding practices, few have been validated among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, despite these groups being disproportionately affected by food insecurity and diet-related health inequities. This study assessed the structural validity and internal consistency of the Feeding Practices and Structure Questionnaire—Solid Feeding version (FPSQ-S)—among socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers and fathers of young children. Methods: Two cross-sectional online surveys were conducted with 178 mothers and 94 fathers of children aged 5–35 months living in disadvantaged households. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the structural validity of the FPSQ-S. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and Hancock’s H coefficients. Results: The original six-factor FPSQ-S structure was retained and demonstrated acceptable overall model fit in this disadvantaged sample (CFI = 0.846, TLI = 0.821, RMSEA = 0.070). Internal consistency ranged from acceptable to excellent across subscales (Cronbach’s α = 0.63–0.93; Hancock’s H = 0.64–0.93). Most items loaded satisfactorily onto their intended constructs; however, two items within the Feeding on Demand construct demonstrated weak factor loadings, and this construct showed lower reliability than the remaining subscales Conclusions: This is the first study to evaluate the FPSQ-S among socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers and fathers of children aged 5–35 months. The FPSQ-S demonstrated acceptable structural validity and reliability. While the six-factor structure was largely supported, further refinement of the Feeding on Demand construct and additional psychometric evaluation are warranted. Full article