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Updated: Oct 15, 2025
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Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System
Published on: May 8, 2018
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Feeding During Infancy: Interpersonal Behavior, Physiology, and Obesity Risk
Eric A Hodges1, Cathi B Propper1, Hayley Estrem2
1The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Child Development Perspectives
|October 28, 2021
Summary
Infant self-regulation of energy intake is crucial for healthy development. Caregiver feeding practices can disrupt this ability, potentially leading to obesity risk later in life.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Pediatric nutrition
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Infancy is a critical period for establishing healthy eating behaviors.
- The ability to self-regulate energy intake appears to decline after infancy, but reasons are unclear.
- Feeding practices that interfere with infant hunger and satiety cues may increase obesity risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the emergence of self-regulation in infants from behavioral and physiological viewpoints.
- To explore how caregiver-infant feeding interactions impact self-regulation of energy intake.
Main Methods:
- Integrative literature review.
- Analysis of behavioral and physiological aspects of self-regulation.
- Application of self-regulation concepts to infant energy intake.
Main Results:
- Self-regulation of behavior and emotion emerges in infancy.
- Feeding interactions can disrupt the development of self-regulation of energy intake.
- Disrupted self-regulation is linked to potential obesity risk.
Conclusions:
- Understanding infant self-regulation is key to promoting healthy eating habits.
- Caregiver feeding practices play a significant role in shaping infant self-regulation.
- Further research is needed to clarify developmental trajectories and interventions.
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