A Mixed Methods Study on How Urban Slum Food Environments Influence Caregivers' Feeding Practices for Children Under Five Years in Pune, India

The goal of this observational study is to examine how urban slum food environments influence caregivers' feeding practices for children under five years of age in Pune. The main questions it aims to answer are: * What are the characteristics of the food environment in selected slums of Pune using the 5 A's framework: availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and accommodation? * What are caregivers' perceptions of food safety, food prestige, and convenience as additional drivers of food choice within the slum context? * Are caregivers' aware, and have understanding about the use of packaged food labels, especially in relation to identifying foods for young children? * How do the local food environment and food choice (FEFC) drivers interact to influence caregivers' feeding practices, with a particular focus on the consumption of unhealthy foods and sugar-sweetened beverages among children under five years of age? Participants will be interviewed using digital forms to assess their food environment and food choice drivers. Anthropometric measurements of all children under five years of age in the household will be taken.

NCT Number	NCT07146477
Lead Sponsor	Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute
Conditions	Feeding Practices, Food Choices, Maternal and Child Health
Enrollment	370 participants
Start Date	2025-09-29
Primary Completion	2026-06-30 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-06-30 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2025-09-24