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Maternal and pediatric nutrition

Eating behaviour and weight status at 2 years of age: data from the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 69, pages 1356–1359 (2015)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

To conduct an analysis of associations between eating behaviours and weight status in 2-year-old children.

Subjects/Methods:

Data were collected prospectively in the maternal-infant dyad Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study. The weight status of children aged 2 years (n=1189) was assigned using the International Obesity Task Force BMI cutoffs using measured heights and weights. Eating behaviours were assessed using the Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ).

Results:

Eighty percent of children were of normal weight, 14% were overweight or obese and 6% were underweight. From the CEBQ, food approach behaviours including Enjoyment of Food (odds ratio (OR)=1.90, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.46–2.48) and Food Responsiveness (OR=1.73, 95% CI=1.47–2.03) were associated with overweight/obesity (all P<0.001). The food avoidant behaviours of Satiety Responsiveness (OR=2.03, 95% CI=1.38–2.98) and Slowness in Eating (OR=1.44, 95% CI=1.01–2.04) were associated with underweight at 2 years (all P<0.05).

Conclusions:

Eating behaviours are associated with weight status as early as 2 years of age.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all the families for participating in the birth cohort and the research team working on the study. The birth cohort was funded by the National Children’s Research Centre (NCRC) in 2008 and by a grant from the UK Food Standards Agency to JO’BH and DM in 2009. The NCRC extended the funding in 2012 to allow extensive nutritional and metabolic phenotyping at 2 years and to enable a similar follow-up at 5 years.

Author contributions

EKM carried out data collection, database construction and data analysis. MK designed the study, and EKM and MK drafted the manuscript. MK had responsibility for the final content. Cní C carried out data collection. DMM is the Principal Investigator (PI) of the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study, and JO’BH, LCK and MK are co-PIs and specialist leads. LCK is the PI of the SCOPE Ireland pregnancy cohort study. All authors reviewed and approved the final submission.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vitamin D Research Group, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland,

    E K McCarthy, C ní Chaoimh & M Kiely

  2. Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland,

    E K McCarthy, C ní Chaoimh, D M Murray, L C Kenny & M Kiely

  3. Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland,

    D M Murray & J O 'B Hourihane

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland,

    L C Kenny

Authors
  1. E K McCarthy
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  5. L C Kenny
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M Kiely.

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McCarthy, E., Chaoimh, C., Murray, D. et al. Eating behaviour and weight status at 2 years of age: data from the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study. Eur J Clin Nutr 69, 1356–1359 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2015.130

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