title: Picky eating and child weight status development: a longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children's picky eating behaviour has been linked both to being overweight and underweight. However, the role of parenting practices in this relationship has rarely been investigated. The present study aimed to clarify the direction of the association between picky eating and weight status and to examine the moderating role of food parenting practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study comprised a longitudinal study on the effects of picky eating on child weight status within the KOALA Birth Cohort Study, the Netherlands. Mothers and their children were included in the analyses. Children's picky eating behaviour and food parenting practices were assessed at baseline (child age 5 years). Their weight status was assessed repeatedly until age 9 years. Mixed effects linear and logistic regressions were used to compare picky eaters (n = 403) and non-picky eaters (n = 621) on changes in weight status over the years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline of age 5 years, picky eaters were slightly shorter, more often underweight and less often overweight than non-picky eaters, whereas energy intake in relation to body weight (kJ kg(-1)) was similar. Picky eaters with a normal weight at baseline had no increased risk of becoming underweight during follow-up until age 9 years, and were less likely to become overweight compared to non-picky eaters. There were no interactions with food parenting practices. The parents of picky eaters more often reported pressuring their child to eat and restrict unhealthy food intake compared to parents of non-picky eaters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association between picky eating and child weight status was not influenced by parenting practices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Antoniou
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roefs
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: S P J
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kremers
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gubbels
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: E F C
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Sleddens
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School of Primary Care and Public Health, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thijs
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013851:Thinness / Q000523:psychology
keywords: childhood eating behaviour; childhood obesity; food parenting practices; picky eating; underweight