Table 3 Themes and sub-themes from the data analysis

Main themes

1) Identification of infant overweight and future risk

2) Consequences of infant overweight status

3) Parental attributions of causality, responsibility and control

Sub-themes

1a) Overweight as a concept that can be applied to infants

2a) The relative impact of overweight versus underweight

3a) High parental responsibility for overfeeding

1b) Trust and mistrust of professional growth assessment

2b) The progressive nature of consequences associated with overweight

3b) Low parental self-efficacy for modifying infant feeding

1c) Receptiveness to risk communication and modification of lifestyle behaviours

2c) The importance of infant contentment

1d) Perceived benefits and harms of risk communication

2d) Good parenting and the fear of negative judgement