Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 27, 2026
Author Spotlight: Implications of Non-Nutritive Sucking on Speech Emergence and Infant Development
Published on: April 19, 2024
Perinatal Risk Factors for Feeding and Eating Disorders in Children Aged 0 to 3 Years
Carolina Hvelplund1, Bo Mølholm Hansen2, Susanne Vinkel Koch3
1Department of Pediatrics and Adolescence, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark; hvelplund@dadlnet.dk.
Insights
Feeding and eating disorders (FED) in young children are linked to early life adversities, including prematurity and congenital issues. Perinatal factors like maternal smoking and immigrant status also increase FED risk.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Feeding and eating disorders (FED) impact early childhood development.
- Understanding perinatal risk factors is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and age of diagnosis for hospital-diagnosed FED in children aged 0-3 years.
- To investigate associations between perinatal risk factors and FED diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Nationwide cohort study of 901,227 children from 1997-2010.
- Follow-up until 48 months of age using national registers.
- Multivariable Cox regression analysis to identify risk factors.
Main Results:
- Cumulative incidence of FED was 1.6 per 1000 live births (1365 children diagnosed).
- Significant risk increases for FED in preterm infants (born <28 weeks), small for gestational age, and those with congenital malformations.
- Associated risk factors include female gender, maternal smoking, immigrant status, and being firstborn.
Conclusions:
- Perinatal adversities are strongly associated with FED in young children.
- Female gender, maternal smoking, immigrant parents, and firstborn status are linked to increased FED risk.
- Complex causal pathways necessitate a multidisciplinary approach for managing FED.
Objective:
To describe the incidence, age at diagnosis, and associations between perinatal risk factors of feeding and eating disorders (FED) diagnosed at hospital in children aged 0 to 3 years.
Methods:
A nationwide cohort of 901 227 children was followed until 48 months of age in the national registers from 1997 to 2010. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for FED diagnosis according to the International Classification of Diseases and associations with perinatal risk factors.
Results:
A total of 1365 children (53% girls) were diagnosed with FED at hospital, corresponding to a cumulative incidence of 1.6 per 1000 live births. High risk of FED was seen in children born before gestational week 28 (HR, 3.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.15-5.78). HRs were 3.74 for children small for gestational age ≤3 SD (95% CI, 2.71-5.17) and 4.71 in those with congenital malformations (95% CI, 3.86-5.74). Increased risk of FED was associated with female gender (HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.08-1.34), maternal smoking in pregnancy (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.08-1.42), immigrant status (HR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.92-2.61), and being the firstborn (HR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.19-1.50).
Conclusions:
FED in referred children aged 0 to 3 years are associated with perinatal adversities, female gender, maternal smoking in pregnancy, being firstborn, and having immigrant parents. The results suggest complex causal mechanisms of FED and underscore the need for a multidisciplinary approach in the clinical management of young children with persistent problems of feeding, eating, and weight faltering.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
01:30Bulimia Nervosa
01:23Binge Eating Disorders
01:16Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Oral
Weaning, typically occurring...
01:23Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption
01:28Development of the Oral Microbiota