Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40883733›Full record

ArticleBMC pediatrics2025

Trajectories of childhood eating behaviors and their association with internalizing and externalizing symptoms in adolescence.

Rachel Dufour, Édith Breton, Sylvana M Côté, Lise Dubois, Frank Vitaro, Michel Boivin, Richard E Tremblay, Linda Booij

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pediatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Rachel Dufour *Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke W Street, Montreal, QC, H4B 1R6, Canada.
Édith Breton *Department of Fundamental Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 555 de l'Université Blvd, Chicoutimi, QC, G7H 2B1, Canada.
Sylvana M CôtéCHU Sainte-Justine Azrieli Research Center, 3175 Chem. De la Côte- Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada.
Lise DuboisSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
Frank VitaroCHU Sainte-Justine Azrieli Research Center, 3175 Chem. De la Côte- Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada.
Michel BoivinDepartment of Psychology, University Laval, 2325 des Bibliothèques Street, Quebec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
Richard E TremblayCHU Sainte-Justine Azrieli Research Center, 3175 Chem. De la Côte- Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada.
Linda BooijDepartment of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke W Street, Montreal, QC, H4B 1R6, Canada. linda.booij@mcgill.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveSeveral studies have shown that maladaptive eating behaviors in childhood predict greater risk for eating disorders in adolescence. Whether or not maladaptive eating behaviors could represent developmental risk factors for a larger spectrum of psychopathologies is unknown. This study described longitudinal trajectories of overeating and picky eating behaviors in boys and girls from ages 2.5 to 6 years. We then examined whether these developmental trajectories in childhood are associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms during mid-adolescence (age 15).

methods2 014 participants were recruited at birth as part of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development. Mothers completed a measure of childhood eating behaviors at 29, 41, 44-56, 56-68 months, and 6 years old. Participants completed the Mental Health and Social Inadaptation Assessment for Adolescents at age 15. Latent class analyses and univariate regression analyses were conducted.

resultsThe optimal model for overeating behaviors had three trajectory groups (early-onset overeating; 14.1%, late-onset overeating; 24.3%, and never-displayed overeating; 61.6%). Three stable trajectory groups were found for picky eating behaviors (high level; 7.1%, mid-level; 37.4%, low level; 55.5%). Higher overeating behaviors in childhood were associated with greater impulsivity, hyperactivity, and anxiety in adolescence in girls but not in boys. Trajectories of picky eating were not linked with mental-health symptoms in adolescence.

conclusionsOvereating behaviors appear less stable over time than picky eating behaviors. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing psychological well-being and ADHD symptoms in children who overeat, particularly in girls, rather than focusing solely on healthy eating habits.

Indexed as

Adolescent BehaviorFeeding and Eating DisordersFeeding BehaviorHyperphagiaAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleQuebecRisk FactorsAdolescenceChildhood eating behaviorsExternalizing symptomsInternalizing symptomsOvereatingPicky eatingTrajectories

Identifiers

PMID40883733
PMCPMC12395660

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.