Could the Use of Pacifiers in Infancy Be Associated with Binge Eating Disorder and Obesity in Adolescents?

To explore the association between the use of pacifiers during infancy and the occurrence of binge eating disorder (BED) and obesity in adolescence.

A case-control study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkiye, from January 2022 to January 2023.

One hundred thirty-seven obese adolescents, aged 12-18 years, with a body mass index (BMI) above the 95th percentile, and 123 healthy subjects, with a BMI between the 3rd-95th percentiles, who had a similar age and gender distribution, were included. A survey, including questions about feeding during the infantile period and oral habits (chewing gum, nail-biting, smoking, and substance use) in adolescence, was applied to the mothers of all participants. The presence of BED was evaluated according to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.

No significant difference was found between the obese and control groups regarding age, gender, and the use and duration of the pacifier. In the obese group, total breast milk intake period, night feeding after one year, nail-biting behaviour, and smoking rate were higher than in the control group (p <0.015, p <0.001, p <0.027, and p <0.015, respectively). BED was detected in 53.3% of the cases in the obese group (p <0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between obese patients, with and without BED, in terms of the use and duration of pacifier (p = 0.136).

This study suggested that pacifier use in the infantile period (0-12 months) was not associated with oral habits, binge eating disorder, and obesity in adolescence. However, continuing night feeding (00-07 A.M, breast milk or formula) after one year of age may be related to obesity.

Childhood obesity, Pacifier, Binge eating disorder, Adolescents.