Abstract:
Background: Selective eating during childhood is highly prevalent in the general population
and a frequent concern reported by parents and caregivers. For some whānau, periods of
selective eating may be short-lived; for others, restricted dietary intake and problematic
mealtime behaviours may persist. Long-term selective eating may impact growth and
nutrition. In New Zealand, support programmes targeted at parents and caregivers of children
with selective eating are scarce. REFUSE, Reducing Extreme Fussy Eating Using Structured
Education was developed by researchers at the University of Auckland and delivered across
six one-hour sessions in a group-based format using Zoom.
Objective: The aim of this study was to continue to develop REFUSE into a self-directed, webbased education resource using methods of experience-based codesign.
Methods: Parents and caregivers of children with selective eating behaviours were recruited
(n=13). Information was collected from whānau to inform the development of REFUSE Online.
A PDF version of the proposed REFUSE Online modules was sent to participants for review,
and feedback was collected (n=7).
Results: Results from the initial [whānau] survey were combined with learnings from the
literature and feedback from REFUSE 1 to inform the development of REFUSE Online. Seven
of the thirteen participants who completed the whānau survey reviewed the fussy eating
modules and completed the evaluation questionnaire. Based on their review, participants
were asked to rate their agreement with ten statements. The average score for all ten
statements was above four (out of five), indicating that the modules were well received.
Conclusion: REFUSE Online is an acceptable intervention for use with whānau of children
who have selective eating. The results from the REFUSE Online pilot provide preliminary
evidence that a targeted intervention aimed at reducing fussy eating behaviours may be
feasible with future modifications.
