The Influence of Child Temperament and Household Chaos on Eating Behaviors in Preschool Children

• In Event: Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: PS 13 Topic - Health, Growth, Injury

Abstract

Introduction
Early eating behaviors have been shown to predict obesity in adulthood, highlighting the importance of identifying factors that promote dysregulated eating patterns in early childhood (Graziano et al., 2010). Child temperamental characteristics have been linked to obesogenic eating behaviors such as emotional overeating and appetitive motivation (Pieper & Laugero, 2013). Environmental factors, such as household chaos, have also been found to impact food consumption (Kral & Raugh, 2010). However, few studies have examined how child and home characteristics independently and together influence child eating behaviors. We examined associations between child temperament, household chaos, and eating behavior in children 18-24 months of age using parent-reported child eating behaviors and an observed behavioral marker of appetitive traits that impacts obesity: eating speed.
Methods
The analysis included 371 families (48.8% girls; 84.1% White) participating in a longitudinal birth cohort study in the United States (N = 488). Child eating behavior at 24 months was assessed using the parent-report of the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ; Wardle et al., 2001). In a subsample of families (n = 97), children’s bite speed was measured as number of bites taken per minute during the first 20 min of video-recorded family mealtimes at 18-24 months. The Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ; Putnam et al., 2006) assessed child temperament at 18 months. The Confusion, Hubbub, and Order Scale (CHAOS; Matheny et al., 1995) was used to assess disorganization in the household.
Results
Regression analysis revealed that temperamental Negative Affectivity (β = .13, SE = .05, p < .05) and Household Chaos (β = .11, SE = .004, p < .05) were unique and significant predictors of child Emotional Overeating. Both temperamental Negative Affectivity (β = .14, SE = .08, p = .01) and Effortful Control (β = -.14, SE = .07, p = .01) were significant predictors of Emotional Undereating, but Household Chaos was not significantly associated with child Emotional Undereating. In the observed family mealtime sample (n = 97), temperamental Effortful Control was found to be the only significant predictor of children’s bite speed during mealtime, after accounting for spoon feeding (β = -.23, SE = .27, p < .05). Overall, there were no significant interaction effects. Additional analyses will be presented that examine associations between household distractions and emotional displays during the family mealtime and child bite speed.
Conclusions
The findings suggest that children who are higher in negative affect and who have more chaotic households may be at risk of overeating to manage negative emotions. Interestingly, higher Negative Affectivity was also associated with more Emotional Undereating, suggesting that this temperamental dimension may affect emotional eating in different ways. Children higher on Effortful Control had lower Emotional Undereating scores and slower eating speeds during the family mealtime, suggesting that this temperament dimension is important for the regulation of food intake. Discussion will focus on child and family characteristics that impact eating (dys)regulation in early childhood, and the need for future longitudinal analyses with diverse samples to document mechanisms that may be involved in these relations.

Authors

• Sehyun Ju, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Presenting Author

• Samantha Iwinski, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Non-Presenting Author

• Barbara H. Fiese, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kelly K. Bost, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Non-Presenting Author