ABSTRACT

Childhood obesity and unhealthy eating habits are a growing global concern. This study examined how feeding practices recommended by Japanese experts align with established feeding recommendations, including those commonly referenced in high-income Western countries. We also examined whether the nature of Japanese expert advice changed over time. Using expert advice regarding feeding and eating from two popular Japanese parenting magazines published in two time periods (2006/2007 and 2018/2019), we conducted a deductive qualitative analysis based on Vaughn et al.'s content map of fundamental feeding constructs and models of responsive feeding. The results showed that Japanese parenting magazines most closely aligned with the concepts of “Structure” and “Autonomy” from Vaughn et al.’s framework, as well as “Responsiveness to Child Cues,” across both time periods. These findings reflect key elements of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which emphasizes the importance of supporting children’s autonomy, competence, and relatedness in promoting healthy self-regulation. Japanese expert advice included culturally specific practices such as acceptance of amae and physical closeness (skinship), suggesting an integration of Western feeding constructs with culturally embedded caregiving values. While the core feeding principles remained largely unchanged, the findings offer insight into the continuity of Japanese parenting magazine advice on infant and toddler feeding.

Keyword :