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Problematic eating and feeding behaviors of 36-month-old children

Peter M Lewinsohn1, Jill M Holm-Denoma, Jeffrey M Gau

  • 1Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA. pete@ori.org

The International Journal of Eating Disorders
|October 8, 2005
PubMed

Insights

This study developed a tool to measure problematic eating behaviors in young children. Findings highlight the importance of mother-child interactions during feeding, with factors like pickiness and food refusal linked to maternal history.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Nutrition
  • Pediatric Behavioral Health

Background:

  • Problematic eating behaviors in young children are common and can impact development.
  • Existing instruments may not comprehensively capture the multifactorial nature of these behaviors.
  • Understanding the prevalence and correlates of these behaviors is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a comprehensive multifactorial instrument for measuring problematic eating behaviors in young children.
  • To examine the prevalence of these behaviors in a community sample of toddlers.
  • To investigate the correlates of problematic eating behaviors, including maternal psychopathology and parenting behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • A new inventory incorporating items from existing instruments was created.
  • A community sample of 93 mothers completed the inventory for their 36-month-old children.
  • Factor analysis was used to identify underlying dimensions of problematic eating behaviors.

Main Results:

  • The most frequently reported child problems were spitting out food and becoming upset when food was restricted.
  • A four-factor solution emerged: pickiness, food refusal, struggle for control, and positive parental behavior.
  • The 'struggle for control' factor correlated with other behavioral problems, 'food refusal' with maternal psychopathology, and 'pickiness' with maternal alcohol dependence.

Conclusions:

  • The developed instrument provides a comprehensive measure of problematic eating behaviors in young children.
  • Specific eating behaviors are associated with maternal history and broader child behavioral issues.
  • Child clinicians should focus on the quality of mother-child interactions during feeding to address these behaviors.
Abstract

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