Fussy eating in children with and without neurodevelopmental disorders in two study cohorts: A food based-intervention in a school setting with parent-child dyads, and children attending obesity treatment
Year: 2022
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Difficult eating behaviours such as fussy eating are consistently found in \nyoung children, and those with neurodevelopmental disorders (ND) such as \nAutism spectrum disorder (ASD), Attention deficit hyperactive disorder \n(ADHD), anxiety, and depression. Fussy eating tends to peak in early \nchildhood and then reduce, but less so for children with ND. Studies have \nalso found links to fussy eating and children with obesity. Understanding \nfussy eating in children with obesity and comorbid disorders is important \nas acceptance of healthy foods tends to be low. Studies also indicate that \nincreasing acceptance of healthy foods is difficult, especially in children \nwith ND. Although studies on fussy eating have furthered our knowledge \non eating behaviours, it is unfortunate that no inclusive food interventions \nexist for children with ADHD in addition to ASD and TD children, and none \ninclude parents in these settings. There were two overarching study aims: \nThe first aim was to gain deeper insight into eating behaviours such as \nfussy eating in children with and without ND. The second aim was to \ninvestigate the effectiveness of the Taste education intervention in a \nschool setting, in children with and without ND, and their parents. In paper \nI, a preliminary study on a sample of children with obesity, we found that \nfussy eating was common, and heightened in children with obesity and \nanxiety. The results were also in general accordance with taste preferences \nin children with fussy eating. In paper II which was built on screening data \nfrom the study sample in paper III, we analysed associations between \nparents and their children’s fussy eating, in a cross-sectional sample of \nchildren, with and without ND. Overall, children with ND accepted fewer \nfood items and consumed unhealthier foods more frequently than children \nwithout ND. Fussy eating parents had children who accepted fewer food \nitems and consumed unhealthier foods more frequently than children \nwhose parents were not fussy eaters. In paper III, our second study sample, \nwe investigated the effect of Taste Education, a 7-week food-based \nintervention with children and parents. We found superior results for \nIntervention compared to waiting, on Food fussiness, with stable effects \nthrough six-months follow-up. Results also showed increased odds of \naccepting vegetables, nuts, and seeds, but no association for fruit. Trends \nwere similar for children regardless of ND-status for both fussy eating, and \nfood acceptance. The Taste Education program provided a simple, noniv \ninvasive way to decrease fussy eating and increase food variety in the longterm \nfor children regardless of ND-status. Taken together, these papers \nprovide new insights into fussy eating in Icelandic children with and \nwithout ND, and their parents. The results highlight a further need to study \nfussy eating, especially the relationships between fussy eating in children, \ntheir ND-status, and parents.
Source: Opin vísindi (Opin vísindi)
Author: Þorsteinsdóttir, Sigrún
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6991248981