Association of picky eating around age 4 with dietary intake and weight status in early adulthood: A 14-year follow-up based on the KOALA birth cohort study

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INTRODUCTION: A relatively common deviant type of eating behaviour among children is picky eating. Research on associations between picky eating and dietary patterns later in life is limited, and studies examining long-term effects on growth have yielded mixed results. The present study aimed to examine longitudinal associations of picky eating in early childhood with consumption of various foods, and weight status (body mass index, BMI) in young adulthood. METHODS: Data from the Dutch KOALA Birth Cohort was used. Picky eating was determined around age 4 (range 3-6 years) by a questionnaire completed by parents. At follow-up around children's age 18 (range 17-20 years), weekly food intake frequencies, weight and height were assessed with a questionnaire completed by the grown-up young adult children. In total, 814 participants were included. Multiple regression analyses were performed for food intake frequencies and weight status (BMI) with picky eating score as predictor, controlling for parental and child covariates. RESULTS: The mean picky eating score at age 4-5 was 2.24 (range 1-5). A 1-point higher picky eating score was associated with eating fruit 0.14 days less per week, raw vegetables 0.14 days less per week, cooked vegetables 0.21 days less per week, fish 0.07 days less per week and dairy products 0.23 days less per week (P-values all <0.05). Associations between picky eating and intake frequencies of meat, eggs, various snacks, sweet drinks, and weight status (BMI) were not significant. CONCLUSION: Picky eating in childhood is associated with lower intake frequencies of various healthy foods among young adults. It is therefore recommended to pay sufficient attention to picky eating in young children.

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