Eating behaviorsPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-09-08DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102032
Ying Wu , Congrong Shi
{"title":"Heterogeneous patterns of restrained eating in young women: A latent profile and network analysis","authors":"Ying Wu , Congrong Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102032","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102032","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Restrained eating, characterized by persistent and relatively stable subjective intention and behavioral tendency to restrict calories, is prevalent among young women and has commonly been linked to adverse health outcomes. Its heterogeneity and psychological correlates remain underexplored. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the categories and characteristics of restrained eating in a community student-based sample of young women. A total of 506 participants completed six scales assessing restrained eating, appearance perfectionism, body shame, body surveillance, media exposure, and media internalization. Latent profile analysis identified three distinct subgroups: low restrained eating (25 %), moderate restrained eating (46 %), and high restrained eating (29 %). Network analysis further revealed distinct patterns in the relationships between appearance perfectionism and body-related factors. In the low restrained eating subgroup, the correlation between appearance perfectionism and body shame was notably weaker compared to the moderate subgroup. Furthermore, the moderate restrained eating subgroup exhibited a stronger association between appearance perfectionism and body surveillance than the high restrained eating subgroup. Finally, the correlation between appearance perfectionism and media internalization was more pronounced in the high restrained eating subgroup than in the low and moderate subgroups. These findings highlight the need for tailored prevention and intervention strategies to address restrained eating behaviors, which can have a profound impact on improving both the mental and physical health of young women.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11476,"journal":{"name":"Eating behaviors","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 102032"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145026969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eating behaviorsPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-08-15DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102022
Kaitlin Hanss , Dominic M. Denning , Rachael E. Flatt , Christina M. Sanzari , Stuart B. Murray , Jason M. Lavender , Emilio J. Compte , Aaron J. Blashill , Jason M. Nagata , Pamela K. Keel , Jennifer Harriger , Riley Nickols , Jonathan Mond , Tiffany A. Brown , Sasha Gorrell
{"title":"Evaluating the muscularity-oriented eating test: Factor structure and psychometric properties among university athletes and across sexes","authors":"Kaitlin Hanss , Dominic M. Denning , Rachael E. Flatt , Christina M. Sanzari , Stuart B. Murray , Jason M. Lavender , Emilio J. Compte , Aaron J. Blashill , Jason M. Nagata , Pamela K. Keel , Jennifer Harriger , Riley Nickols , Jonathan Mond , Tiffany A. Brown , Sasha Gorrell","doi":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102022","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102022","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The Muscularity-Oriented Eating Test (MOET) was developed to measure muscularity-oriented eating pathology among young men; however, this construct is relevant across sexes and may be particularly applicable to athletes. Thus, this study sought to validate the MOET among male and female athletes and non-athletes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Students (<em>N</em> = 2189) from three U.S. universities completed an online survey. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) testing two MOET versions (12-items, 15-items) were conducted in male and female athletes and non-athletes. Chi-squared tests and invariance analyses were used to evaluate the fit of each model across groups. Convergent validity of the MOET was assessed with Spearman correlation tests.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A one-factor CFA displayed adequate fit for 12-item and 15-item versions across all groups, except the 15-item version in the full sample. Chi-squared tests indicated superior fit of 12-item MOET CFAs among male and female athletes, female non-athletes, and all participants compared to 15-item models (<em>adjusted p</em> < .050); no difference in fit was evidenced between 12-item and 15-item CFAs for male non-athletes (<em>adjusted p</em> = .062). Both versions showed similar convergent validity.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>A 12-item MOET may provide improved screening for muscularity-oriented eating pathology in male and female athletes and female non-athletes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11476,"journal":{"name":"Eating behaviors","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 102022"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eating behaviorsPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-09DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102040
Madison Hannapel , Jamie M. Lawler , Eamonn Arble , Chong Man Chow
{"title":"Depressive symptoms as a moderator of fat talk and body image outcomes within mother-daughter dyads","authors":"Madison Hannapel , Jamie M. Lawler , Eamonn Arble , Chong Man Chow","doi":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102040","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102040","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Adolescent girls and mothers are vulnerable to poor body image outcomes, which are often reinforced through fat talk, a self-disparaging body-related conversation. Depression may exacerbate this risk, particularly among those engaging in fat talk. This study examined the associations, among mother-daughter dyads, between fat talk and restrictive, emotional, and external disordered eating, eating disorder symptoms, and body dissatisfaction, as well as whether depression moderated these associations.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>104 mother-daughter dyads completed online measures. Adolescent daughters (M = 15.73 years old; SD = 2.51) and their mothers (M = 43.17 years old; SD = 8.58) were primarily white/Caucasian.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Actor effects of fat talk significantly predicted all body image outcomes. Partner effects emerged only for daughters' fat talk predicting mothers' body dissatisfaction. Depression moderated the association between fat talk and restrictive eating but did not moderate other associations. However, depression did independently predict poorer body image outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>Findings highlight the importance of studying mother-daughter dyads and capturing how psychopathology contributes to subclinical eating disordered behaviors, informing risk identification for eating disorder development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11476,"journal":{"name":"Eating behaviors","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 102040"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145299248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eating behaviorsPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-11-08DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102049
Hengyue Zhang , Vivienne Y.K. Tao , Haofeng Ling , Anise M.S. Wu
{"title":"Should we talk about bodies? Examining the associations between different types of body talk and older adults' eating disorder pathology through the lens of growth mindset","authors":"Hengyue Zhang , Vivienne Y.K. Tao , Haofeng Ling , Anise M.S. Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102049","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102049","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Body talk, both negative (i.e., fat talk and muscle talk) and positive, reflects how people discuss their bodies verbally and is closely linked to eating disorder (ED) pathology in younger populations. However, these variables have remained largely unexamined in older adults. Given their increasing vulnerability to ED, the study addressed the research gap by investigating body talk and ED pathology in the Chinese older adults. Based on implicit theories, the moderating role of growth mindset of self-regulation was explored to further inform interventions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A sample of 408 Chinese older adults (45.3 % female; <em>M</em><sub>age</sub> = 62.43 years, <em>SD</em> = 3.39, Range = 60 to 79) voluntarily completed an anonymous survey through an online crowdsourcing platform.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>All types of body talk were significantly correlated with ED pathology in older adults in the hypothesized directions, whereas growth mindset of self-regulation only significantly moderated the relationship between negative body talk and ED pathology. Contrary to the expectations or our hypotheses, growth mindset strengthened the positive association between negative body talk and ED pathology.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>Our findings contribute new evidence regarding whether and how negative and positive types of body talk are associated with older adults' ED pathology. The unexpected direction of growth mindset effect offers insights that can serve as a valuable basis for further research with important implications for developing interventions to avoid unintended adverse effects on body image or eating behaviors in older adults.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11476,"journal":{"name":"Eating behaviors","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 102049"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145502729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eating behaviorsPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-09-13DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102034
Liyun Zheng , Shuang Zhang
{"title":"Medications as precipitating factors for potential eating disorders: A disproportionality analysis using FDA adverse event reports","authors":"Liyun Zheng , Shuang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102034","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102034","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Compared to psychosocial factors, medications remain less well recognized as precipitating factors for eating disorders. This study aims to identify medications potentially associated with eating disorders using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>FAERS reports related to potential eating disorders from January 2004 to December 2024 were retrieved. Reporting odds ratios (RORs) were calculated to detect disproportionate signals, with Fisher's exact test and Bonferroni correction applied for adjustments in multiple comparisons. Drugs exhibiting significant positive signals (ROR 95 % confidence interval lower bound >1, adjusted <em>p</em>-value < 0.01) with over 100 reports were selected for LASSO regression analysis. Logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, and reporter type, was employed to identify precipitating drugs.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among 20,145 reports, 62.7 % involved females, with a median age of 59 years (interquartile range: 42–71). Thirty drugs showed significant positive signals. Nine potential precipitating medications were identified through LASSO and logistic regression, including octreotide, ribociclib, sunitinib, rivastigmine, everolimus, quetiapine, palbociclib, esomeprazole, and pregabalin.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study identifies certain medications that may act as precipitating factors for potential eating disorders, particularly in middle-aged and older populations. Clinicians should monitor these medications that affect appetite, weight, or carry abuse potential to prevent harm, especially in patients with eating disorders or at-risk populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11476,"journal":{"name":"Eating behaviors","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 102034"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145091072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Body appreciation as an indirect pathway in the association between health values and eating behaviors among college students","authors":"Sheida Zeraattalab-Motlagh , Cynthia Yoon , Craig Johnston , Aliye B. Cepni , Tracey Ledoux","doi":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102043","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102043","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although the association between health values and eating behaviors has been shown in previous research, its underlying mechanism remains unclear, especially among US college students. Guided by Self-Determination Theory, this cross-sectional study examined direct and indirect associations between health values and eating behaviors through body appreciation. In total, 2425 students (58 % women; mean age = 20.3 years) participated during Fall 2022 and Spring 2023. Pearson's correlation coefficient and PROCESS macro were applied to assess relationships between health values, body appreciation and eating behaviors (intuitive eating and emotional eating). Health values were divided into values for physical health (VPH) and values for social and emotional health (VSEH). Results indicated that VPH was positively related to intuitive eating and negatively related to emotional eating, both directly (<span><math><mi>β</mi></math></span><sub>intuitive eating</sub> = 0.15, <span><math><mi>β</mi></math></span><sub>emotional eating</sub> = −0.08, <em>P</em> < 0.001) and indirectly via body appreciation (<span><math><mi>β</mi></math></span><sub>intuitive eating</sub> = 0.09 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.08, 0.12; <span><math><mi>β</mi></math></span><sub>emotional eating</sub> = −0.09, 95 %CI: −0.11, −0.07). VPSH was directly (<span><math><mi>β</mi></math></span><sub>intuitive eating</sub> = 0.11, <em>P</em> < 0.001) and indirectly (<span><math><mi>β</mi></math></span><sub>intuitive eating</sub> = 0.09, 95 %CI: 0.07, 0.11) related to higher intuitive eating, while indirectly reducing emotional eating via body appreciation (<span><math><mi>β</mi></math></span><sub>emotional eating</sub> = −0.09, 95 %CI: −0.12, −0.08), with no direct association. This study highlights that health values were positively related to intuitive eating and negatively related to emotional eating, and body appreciation explained at least some of these relationships. These findings provide foundation for future longitudinal studies to investigate whether health values predict the development of eating behaviors through changes in body appreciation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11476,"journal":{"name":"Eating behaviors","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 102043"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145388107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eating behaviorsPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-09DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102041
Aditya Thakur , Lisa Y. Zhu , Lindsay P. Bodell
{"title":"Examining associations among food insecurity, muscularity-oriented disordered eating, and internalizing symptoms in undergraduate students","authors":"Aditya Thakur , Lisa Y. Zhu , Lindsay P. Bodell","doi":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102041","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102041","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food insecurity (FI) is a serious public health concern linked to negative physical and mental outcomes, including eating disorder symptoms. However, little is known about its relationship with muscularity-oriented disordered eating (MODE), which involves eating behaviours aimed at increasing muscle mass and decreasing body fat. This study examined the association between FI and MODE, as well as the potential indirect effects of depression and anxiety. A sample of 394 undergraduate students (72.34 % women) from a Canadian university completed online self-report measures of FI, MODE, depression, and anxiety. Linear regression analyses indicated that FI was significantly positively associated with MODE, even when controlling for gender. Indirect effects analyses further revealed that this association was partially explained by depression and anxiety in women, suggesting that psychological distress may play a key role in linking FI to MODE. Importantly, our findings provide evidence that MODE is not limited to individuals with greater financial resources to access high-protein diets and supplements. Food insecurity does not preclude engagement in MODE, emphasizing the need for theoretical models and interventions that consider FI as a potential risk factor. Future research should employ longitudinal designs to clarify the temporal relationship between FI, MODE, and mental health factors, as well as explore these associations in more diverse populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11476,"journal":{"name":"Eating behaviors","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 102041"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145299172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eating behaviorsPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-18DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102044
Max Z. Roberts , Caitrin Murphy , Ashley A. Moskovich , Francesca A. Scheiber , Rhonda M. Merwin
{"title":"Fear of hypoglycemia and disordered eating behavior in type 1 diabetes","authors":"Max Z. Roberts , Caitrin Murphy , Ashley A. Moskovich , Francesca A. Scheiber , Rhonda M. Merwin","doi":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102044","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102044","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are at elevated risk for disordered eating behaviors (DEBs). When DEBs occur in someone with T1D, they have severe consequences, including increased risk of diabetes-related medical complications and early mortality related to poor glycemic control. Fear of hypoglycemia (FoH) is a diabetes-specific factor that is assumed to play a role in DEBs in T1D, but this has not been adequately tested. The current study examined FoH as a predictor of DEBs in the natural environment in adults with T1D who met criteria for clinically significant DEBs. Participants (<em>n</em> = 59) completed the 18 item FoH worry subscale of the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey II and reported on their eating behavior over three days of ecological momentary assessment. A total of 737 eating episodes were reported; 235 (31.89%) eating episodes involved DEBs (overeating or binge eating). The proportion of eating episodes that involved DEBs was regressed on FoH, controlling for age. Every one-point increase in the FoH worry subscale score was associated with a 2% increase in the odds of DEB (OR = 1.02; 95% CI [1.01, 1.03], <em>p</em> < .001). Results suggest that FoH may be an important clinical factor when addressing DEBs in T1D.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11476,"journal":{"name":"Eating behaviors","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 102044"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145358080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eating behaviorsPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-17DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102042
Jiajia Zhang , Zheyu Lin , Ning Zhang , Huifen Qiao , Changjun Teng
{"title":"Diagnostic evolution and symptomatic development of eating disorders: A retrospective study","authors":"Jiajia Zhang , Zheyu Lin , Ning Zhang , Huifen Qiao , Changjun Teng","doi":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102042","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102042","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Diagnoses of eating disorders often evolve over time, yet research in China is scarce. Thus, this study aims to explore the evolution of eating disorder diagnoses and symptom development characteristics in the Chinese cultural context through high-quality retrospective examination, and to analyze risk factors for common symptom development.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>A retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with eating disorders from 2019 to 2024 with a disease course exceeding two years. Data on age at onset, BMI, symptom onset, and other relevant variables were collected by reviewing outpatient medical records to determine longitudinal symptom progression and diagnostic shifts. A multifactorial cox proportional hazards model was constructed incorporating variables such as age of onset, sex, family history, self-harm, and amenorrhea to predict binge eating in restrictive eating disorder.</div></div><div><h3>Result</h3><div>Among 128 outpatients with eating disorders, 50.8 % experienced diagnostic shifts, predominantly from restrictive anorexia to binge-purge types, with complex symptom evolution in the majority. Survival analysis indicates that self-harm behavior significantly affects survival time compared to no self-harm (HR = 1.534, 95 %CI = 1.012–2.325, <em>p</em> = 0.044), and amenorrhea significantly affects survival time compared to no amenorrhea (HR = 0.565, 95 % CI = 0.373–0.855, <em>p</em> = 0.007).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In the Chinese cultural context, diagnostic shifts and symptom overlaps across eating disorder subtypes are observed, potentially indicating a natural progression of clinical phenomena. Assessment of self-harm and amenorrhea is crucial in the early diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders, particularly in patients with restrictive eating behaviors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11476,"journal":{"name":"Eating behaviors","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 102042"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145516770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eating behaviorsPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-09-11DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102033
Aileen Mc Donnell Gillic, Aileen Kennedy, John M. Kearney
{"title":"Food literacy in preschool-aged children - influencing factors, programmes, and outcomes: A scoping review","authors":"Aileen Mc Donnell Gillic, Aileen Kennedy, John M. Kearney","doi":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102033","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.102033","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Food literacy, encompassing knowledge, skills and behaviours related to food, is crucial for establishing healthy eating habits in children. However, the understanding of food literacy as it relates to preschool-aged children and their caregivers remains limited.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, a search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and grey literature sources was conducted. 21 studies met the inclusion criteria.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Key findings revealed an association between low socio-economic status and lower food literacy among parents. Higher food literacy was positively associated with an authoritative parenting style, but not with less restrictive feeding practices. Parental education was positively correlated with higher food literacy, but the role of parental occupation was less clear. However, the research mainly uses data from mothers only. Food literacy programmes demonstrated positive impacts on knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to healthy eating, but lacked a theoretical foundation in some instances and longitudinal follow-up in all cases. Programmes mainly focused on nutrition knowledge and skills, neglecting broader food literacy components, like interpersonal competencies. Several different measurement tools were used across studies, hindering cross-study comparisons.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This review identifies critical gaps in the literature, including the need for longitudinal studies, exploration of paternal influence, standardised measurement tools and a more comprehensive approach to food literacy interventions that incorporates interpersonal competency development and addresses the broader food system. Foundational knowledge exists; however, additional research is necessary to define and understand food literacy, including its development, implications, and impact on preschool-aged children and their caregivers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11476,"journal":{"name":"Eating behaviors","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 102033"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145060393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}