Eating Behavior in Children Aged 3–6: Relationship With the Child's Temperament Characteristics and Parent's Feeding Style

This study identifies significant associations between specific parental feeding behaviors and children's eating habits, along with the influence of child temperament traits on these behaviors. Key findings highlight the positive relationship between emotional feeding and children's emotional overeating, along with the significant negative impacts of effortful control on emotional overeating and the desire to drink. Other noteworthy results include the strong negative association between negative affect and enjoyment of food, as well as its positive correlation with satiety responsiveness and slowness in eating. These results suggest that both parental feeding strategies and individual temperamental traits significantly influence preschoolers' eating behaviors. Interventions tailored to enhance parental feeding styles while considering children's temperaments may promote healthier eating practices in young children.