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Variability in children's eating response to portion size. A biobehavioral perspective
Tanja V E Kral1, Marion M Hetherington2
1Department of Behavioral Health Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Appetite
|October 12, 2014
Summary
Children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric nutrition
- Appetite regulation
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Portion size significantly influences food intake in adults, but effects in children are variable.
- Children's eating behaviors are developing, influenced by genetics and environment.
- Understanding factors affecting children's meal size is crucial for preventing overeating.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on how innate appetite controls influence children's meal size.
- To discuss the role of learned eating behaviors and environmental factors in children's portion size response.
- To present a model of biological and environmental interactions shaping child eating traits.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on portion size effects in children.
- Examination of genetic and environmental influences on appetite and eating behaviors.
- Synthesis of findings to develop a conceptual model.
Main Results:
- Innate appetite controls, involving hormones and neuropeptides, may differentially affect meal size in children.
- Children's response to portion size is learned and shaped by upbringing and family environment.
- Individual differences in children's eating behavior emerge from gene-environment interactions.
Conclusions:
- Both biological predispositions and environmental factors interact to shape children's eating traits.
- Children may develop a susceptibility to overeating when exposed to large portion sizes.
- Understanding these interactions is key to addressing childhood obesity and promoting healthy eating habits.
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