Early childhood feeding disorders: Implications on adolescents' self-perception, BMI, and parental perception

• Published in: Journal of applied developmental psychology 2023-07, Vol.87, p.101557, Article 101557
• Main Authors: Yakov, Porat, Meiri, Gal, Yerushalmi, Baruch, Atzaba-Poria, Naama
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child weight; Feeding disorders; Parental perception of child weight; Self-perception of physical appearance
• ISSN: 0193-3973; 1873-7900
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2023.101557

This study investigated the self-perception of physical appearance among adolescents who were diagnosed with feeding disorder (FD) in toddlerhood, while considering both the physical (body mass index [BMI] scores) and subjective (parental perceptions) aspects of the children's weight. Families who participated in a study on toddlers diagnosed with FD (N = 52; 30 FD group) participated in a follow-up study during adolescence (M age = 13 years, SD = 1.9; girls = 31). Parents reported their perceptions of their children's weight, adolescents reported their perceptions of their physical appearance, and BMI scores were calculated. The FD group had lower BMI scores compared to the healthy control group (Cohen's d = 0.71). In addition, among the FD group, adolescent self-perception of physical appearance was related to parental perceptions of adolescent weight, rather than adolescent BMI score. These findings show that FD during toddlerhood has long-term implications on both a child's weight and a child's self-perception of physical appearance. •Early childhood feeding disorders have long-term physical and psychological outcomes.•Children who were diagnosed with feeding disorders in early childhood had lower BMI scores during adolescence.•Parental perception of child weight relates to the self-perception of adolescents who had feeding disorders as toddlers.•BMI scores are related to adolescent's self-perception among healthily developed children.