It found that more than a quarter (26 per cent) of UK toddlers refuse meals at least once a day, compared to just one in seven (15 per cent) French toddlers.
One in ten mothers in the UK think they are bad parents when their child refuses food, compared to only 3 per cent of Dutch mothers.
The European Nutrition Index also found that UK parents are the most likely of the European countries to reward children with junk food for ‘eating well’ or good behaviour, with four in ten British mothers giving their child sweets, biscuits, fizzy drinks and chocolate.
Toddlers in the UK and the Netherlands are also least likely to get one home cooked meal a day, compared to children in Italy, Spain and Germany.
Only 22 per cent of UK mothers expressed worry about their toddler being or becoming overweight or obese, compared with 68 per cent of mothers in Italy and 72 per cent in Spain.
One in five mothers in the UK were also unaware whether or not their child is overweight, compared to 97 per cent of Spanish mothers.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
