Journal List > J Nutr Health > v.46(5) > 1081308

Shim, Yoon, Kim, and Paik: Association between picky eating behaviors and growth in preschool children

Abstract

This study was conducted in order to investigate the association between picky eating behaviors of preschool children and growth outcomes. In this study, picky eating behaviors were defined as containing four constructs of 'eating a small amount (ES),' 'neophoic behavior (NB),' 'refusal of specific food groups (RF),' and 'preference for specific food-preparation methods (PP).' A 7-point scale was used for the multi-item questionnaire, which consisted of 21 items (three items for ES, two items for NB, nine items for RF, and seven items for PP), in order to evaluate picky eating behaviors of children. Subjects were recruited among visitors at a medical clinic in Seoul. A total of 150 self-administered survey responses from parents of preschool children were analyzed in order to investigate the association between picky eating behaviors of preschool children and growth outcomes. Height for age (HFA) and weight for height (WFH) z-scores were used for assessment of preschool children's growth. The prevalence of ES, NB, RF, and PP was 44%, 57%, 73%, and 53%, respectively. Children with ES had lower HFA (p < 0.05) and WFH (p < 0.0001) than those without ES, while children with NB, RF, or PP had HFA and WFH were similar to their counterparts. The mean HFA z-score of children with ES was less than 0 (p < 0.05) and the mean WFH z-scores of children with ES, NB, RF, or PP were less than 0 (p < 0.05). According to the study results, related growth outcome differed depending on constructs of picky eating behaviors. In particular, picky eating of ES showed a risk of faltering height growth in preschool children. Further comprehensive studies on the reason for ES and intervention approach is warranted.

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Concept and constructs of picky eating behavior and questions used to measure each construct
jnh-46-418-i001

1) Cronbach's coefficient α is 0.88 2) Cronbach's coefficient α is 0.79 3) Negatively worded questions were reverse scored

Table 2
Selected characteristics of subjects (n = 150)
jnh-46-418-i002

1) n is different from other characteristics due to missing responses

Table 3
Mean scores of picky eating constructs and prevalence of picky eaters (n = 150)
jnh-46-418-i003

1) No. of subjects whose scores were more than 4 in any one food group

Table 4
Comparison of growth status between picky eaters and non-picky eaters (n = 150)
jnh-46-418-i004

*: Mean values were different from those of non-picky eaters by t-test (*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.0001)

: Mean values were different from those of non-picky eaters by Wilcoxon rank sum test (p < 0.01)

Notes

This research was supported by a grant of Daejeon University in 2012.

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