TY - JOUR

T1 - Eating patterns in a population-based sample of children aged 5 to 7 years

T2 - association with psychopathology and parentally perceived impairment

AU - Micali, Nadia

AU - Simonoff, Emily

AU - Elberling, Hanne

AU - Rask, Charlotte U

AU - Olsen, Else Marie

AU - Skovgaard, Anne Mette

PY - 2011/10

Y1 - 2011/10

N2 - OBJECTIVE: There is still a lack of research on childhood eating patterns and their correlates in relation to psychopathology and parentally perceived impact in general population samples. We aimed to determine which eating patterns were more likely to be identified as problematic by parents, and their impact and association with childhood psychopathology (emotional, behavioral, and pervasive developmental disorders) in a general population child cohort.METHODS: We collected data as part of the 5- to 7-year-old follow-up of a randomly derived subsample of the Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000. Of the eligible 2912, 1327 (45.6%) children and parents participated in the study. Parents were interviewed using a composite instrument assessing eating behaviors and their impact. Associations with contemporaneous psychopathology were determined using logistic regression.RESULTS: Five eating patterns were identified (good eating/overeating, picky eating, slow/poor eating, delayed eating behaviors, and snacking behaviors); among these, picky eating and slow/poor eating were described as a problem by more than half of parents and they also had high impact. Picky eating was associated with psychopathology across disorders. Emotional undereating was associated with emotional and functional somatic symptoms. A quarter of parents described at least one eating behavior as a problem.CONCLUSIONS: Eating behaviors in a general population cohort were differentially associated with impact and psychopathology. Picky eating was highlighted among other behaviors as having negative correlates. Better knowledge of how childhood eating behaviors impact on children and their association with psychopathology will aid adequate assessment and treatment.

AB - OBJECTIVE: There is still a lack of research on childhood eating patterns and their correlates in relation to psychopathology and parentally perceived impact in general population samples. We aimed to determine which eating patterns were more likely to be identified as problematic by parents, and their impact and association with childhood psychopathology (emotional, behavioral, and pervasive developmental disorders) in a general population child cohort.METHODS: We collected data as part of the 5- to 7-year-old follow-up of a randomly derived subsample of the Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000. Of the eligible 2912, 1327 (45.6%) children and parents participated in the study. Parents were interviewed using a composite instrument assessing eating behaviors and their impact. Associations with contemporaneous psychopathology were determined using logistic regression.RESULTS: Five eating patterns were identified (good eating/overeating, picky eating, slow/poor eating, delayed eating behaviors, and snacking behaviors); among these, picky eating and slow/poor eating were described as a problem by more than half of parents and they also had high impact. Picky eating was associated with psychopathology across disorders. Emotional undereating was associated with emotional and functional somatic symptoms. A quarter of parents described at least one eating behavior as a problem.CONCLUSIONS: Eating behaviors in a general population cohort were differentially associated with impact and psychopathology. Picky eating was highlighted among other behaviors as having negative correlates. Better knowledge of how childhood eating behaviors impact on children and their association with psychopathology will aid adequate assessment and treatment.

KW - Child

KW - Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/epidemiology

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - Emotions

KW - Feeding Behavior/psychology

KW - Female

KW - Follow-Up Studies

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Parents/psychology

KW - Psychopathology

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Sampling Studies

KW - United Kingdom/epidemiology

U2 - 10.1097/DBP.0b013e31822bc7b7

DO - 10.1097/DBP.0b013e31822bc7b7

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 21918471

VL - 32

SP - 572

EP - 580

JO - Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

JF - Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

SN - 0196-206X

IS - 8

ER -