Indulgent, Practical or Balanced? Exploring mothers’ food choices for their children in low-and middle-income households

Childhood obesity remains a pressing concern in public health and nutrition research, with implications for children's health and well-being. Understanding parents’ food choice criteria is critical to designing interventions that promote healthier diets. The current study explores low- to medium-income families’ food choices by profiling Italian mothers (N = 809) based on their core shopping drivers. Applying hierarchical cluster analysis, three distinct groups are identified: indulgent mothers (27 %), who prioritize children’s food preferences; practical mothers (45 %), who value convenience the most; and balanced mothers (28 %), who consider both health and convenience in their food shopping. The findings offer insights for policymakers to implement ad hoc interventions that can aid vulnerable mothers – already compromised in family management – in making healthier food choices for their child.