Dufour Rachel, Breton Édith, Côté Sylvana M, Dubois Lise, Vitaro Frank, Boivin Michel, Tremblay Richard E, Booij Linda
Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke W Street, Montreal, QC, H4B 1R6, Canada.
Eating Disorders Continuum & Douglas Research Centre, Montreal West Island Integrated Health and Social Services Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6603 LaSalle Blvd, Verdun, QC, H4H 1R3, Canada.
BMC Pediatr. 2025 Aug 29;25(1):663. doi: 10.1186/s12887-025-06001-z.
Several studies have shown that maladaptive eating behaviors in childhood predict greater risk for eating disorders in adolescence. Whether or not maladaptive eating behaviors could represent developmental risk factors for a larger spectrum of psychopathologies is unknown. This study described longitudinal trajectories of overeating and picky eating behaviors in boys and girls from ages 2.5 to 6 years. We then examined whether these developmental trajectories in childhood are associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms during mid-adolescence (age 15).
2 014 participants were recruited at birth as part of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development. Mothers completed a measure of childhood eating behaviors at 29, 41, 44-56, 56-68 months, and 6 years old. Participants completed the Mental Health and Social Inadaptation Assessment for Adolescents at age 15. Latent class analyses and univariate regression analyses were conducted.
The optimal model for overeating behaviors had three trajectory groups (early-onset overeating; 14.1%, late-onset overeating; 24.3%, and never-displayed overeating; 61.6%). Three stable trajectory groups were found for picky eating behaviors (high level; 7.1%, mid-level; 37.4%, low level; 55.5%). Higher overeating behaviors in childhood were associated with greater impulsivity, hyperactivity, and anxiety in adolescence in girls but not in boys. Trajectories of picky eating were not linked with mental-health symptoms in adolescence.
Overeating behaviors appear less stable over time than picky eating behaviors. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing psychological well-being and ADHD symptoms in children who overeat, particularly in girls, rather than focusing solely on healthy eating habits.
多项研究表明，儿童期适应不良的饮食行为预示着青少年期饮食失调的风险更高。适应不良的饮食行为是否可能代表更广泛心理病理学的发展风险因素尚不清楚。本研究描述了2.5至6岁男孩和女孩暴饮暴食和挑食行为的纵向轨迹。然后，我们研究了儿童期这些发展轨迹是否与青少年中期（15岁）的内化和外化症状相关。
作为魁北克儿童发展纵向研究的一部分，招募了2014名参与者。母亲们在孩子29、41、44 - 56、56 - 68个月和6岁时完成了一项儿童饮食行为测量。参与者在15岁时完成了青少年心理健康和社会适应不良评估。进行了潜在类别分析和单变量回归分析。
暴饮暴食行为的最佳模型有三个轨迹组（早发性暴饮暴食；14.1%，晚发性暴饮暴食；24.3%，从未出现暴饮暴食；61.6%）。挑食行为发现有三个稳定的轨迹组（高水平；7.1%，中等水平；37.4%，低水平；55.5%）。儿童期较高的暴饮暴食行为与女孩青少年期更大的冲动性、多动和焦虑相关，但与男孩无关。挑食轨迹与青少年期心理健康症状无关。
随着时间的推移，暴饮暴食行为似乎比挑食行为更不稳定。我们的研究结果强调了关注暴饮暴食儿童，特别是女孩的心理健康和多动症症状的重要性，而不是仅仅关注健康的饮食习惯。
