Longitudinal study of early bite profiles as predictors of eating behaviors in children: Food responsiveness and emotional overeating

Abstract

This study investigates eating profiles in toddlers, characterized by observed latency to first bite and bite frequency during naturalistic family mealtimes, and their predictive value for parent-reported food responsiveness and emotional overeating. The sample included 109 children and their families participating in a longitudinal birth cohort study in the United States. Video-recorded family mealtimes at 18–24 months were systematically coded for latency to first bite and bite speed. Food responsiveness and emotional overeating were measured using the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire at 36 months. Latent Profile Analysis using Gaussian finite mixture modeling identified three profiles labeled as fast-initiating, slow eaters; slow-initiating, slow eaters; and fast-initiating, fast eaters. Linear regression revealed that early bite profiles predict food responsiveness and emotional overeating at 36 months. Slow-initiating, slow eaters exhibited significantly higher food responsiveness than fast-initiating, slow eaters, while fast-initiating, fast eaters and slow-initiating, slow eaters had significantly higher emotional overeating than fast-initiating, slow eaters. These findings highlight the potential for early interventions targeting children’s bite profiles to identify those at higher risk for dysregulated eating behaviors, thereby promoting healthier eating patterns.