Feeding difficulties in typical children, sociodemographic factors, and family perception

To verify the association between signs of feeding difficulties in typical children and sociodemographic and economic aspects, parental age and education level, and family perception of feeding difficulties.

Observational, analytical, cross-sectional study with a probabilistic sample of 113 children aged 2 years to 5 years and 11 months, registered at the Unified Health System in a town in inland Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study applied a sample characterization questionnaire, the Brazilian Child Feeding Scale (EBAI), and the Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria (CCEB) and performed descriptive, univariate, and multivariate analyses with multiple logistic regression.

Children aged 2 and 3 years tended to have more feeding difficulties (p = 0.002) than older children. Preterm children were 3.64 times more likely to have feeding difficulties (p = 0.033) than their peers. Children with signs of feeding difficulties had greater difficulty in food introduction (p = 0.007), ate poorly until 2 years old (p = 0.014), and were 3.7 times more likely to have signs of sensory changes (p = 0.001) than the others.

Children aged 2 and 3 years tend to have more feeding difficulties than older ones. Prematurity, difficulty in introducing foods, and sensory changes are associated with childhood feeding difficulties.