Exploring the association between early childhood eating patterns and adolescent symptoms

Girls who overeat regularly in the preschool years are more likely to experience anxiety, impulsivity and hyperactivity in adolescence, according to a new study led by researchers at McGill University and the Douglas Research Centre.

The study followed more than 2,000 Quebec children using provincial data, tracking eating patterns reported by caregivers in early childhood and assessing mental-health symptoms when participants turned 15. The link between overeating and later difficulties was seen in girls, but not in boys.

Takeaway for caregivers

The findings suggest that children's eating patterns can be early signals of mental-health challenges. The researchers emphasize, however, that the results show only associations, not that certain eating patterns necessarily cause later mental health challenges.

"Occasional overeating is normal, but if a child frequently overeats, it can be a sign of emotional struggles," said senior author Linda Booij, Professor in McGill's Department of Psychiatry and clinician-scientist at the Douglas Eating Disorders Continuum and Research Centre.

The answer isn't restriction. In fact, strict control can make things worse and even increase the risk of disordered eating. Instead, parents and caregivers should also pay attention to children's emotional well-being."

Linda Booij, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University

Why girls and not boys?

The differing results for girls and boys may be partly explained by sociocultural factors, Booij said.

"It could be that parents may sometimes monitor girls' eating more closely than boys', and restrictive environments could be linked to increased risk of disordered eating later in life. The social context around girls' eating habits may partly explain why overeating is linked with later difficulties for them," she said.

The researchers identified three patterns of overeating in young children: about 60 per cent showed no signs of overeating, roughly 14 per cent began overeating early between ages two and four, and about 26 per cent started later, around age four.

Girls who started to overeat either early or later on were more likely than were the non-overeaters to report such symptoms as anxiety, hyperactivity and impulsivity at age 15.

Picky eating

Looking at picky eating told a different story. About one-third of the children were picky eaters in early childhood, and those habits tended to stay the same during their childhood. But unlike overeating, picky eating showed no connection to mental-health struggles in adolescence.

While many parents worry about picky eating, Booij says it is often a common developmental phase that, on its own, does not necessarily signal later emotional or behavioral problems. However, if picky eating persists over time or begins to interfere with a child's growth, nutrition, emotional or daily functioning, it may be a sign of a more serious concern.