Patterns of Eating Behavior among 13-Year-Old Adolescents and Associated Factors: Findings from the Generation XXI Birth Cohort

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2023

Authors

Nakamura, I (Author) Other; Oliveira, A (Author) Other; Warkentin, S (Author) Other; Bruno M P M Oliveira (Author) FCNAUP; Poínhos, Rui (Author) FCNAUP

Journal

Title: Healthcare

Vol. 15

Final page: 1371

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 2 Citations

Scopus - 2 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences

CORDIS: Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00Y-CCX

DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11101371

Abstract (EN): Eating behavior adopted during adolescence may persist into adulthood. The aims of this study were to identify eating behavior patterns among Portuguese adolescents and to explore whether groups differ in terms of early life and family characteristics, severity of depressive symptoms, and body mass index (BMI) z-score. Participants were 3601 13-year-olds enrolled in the birth cohort Generation XXI. Eating behavior was assessed using the self-reported Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire (AEBQ), validated in this sample. The severity of depressive symptoms was measured through the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and data on sociodemographic and anthropometrics were collected at birth and 13-years-old. Latent class analysis was conducted, and associations were estimated using multinomial logistic regression models. Five patterns of individuals were identified: Picky eating, Disinterest towards food, Food neophilia, Emotional eating, and Food attractiveness. The adolescents' sex, maternal education, BMI z-score, and severity of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with the identified patterns. In particular, adolescents with a higher BMI z-score were more likely in Food neophilia while individuals with more severe depressive symptoms were in the Picky eating, Emotional eating, and Food attractiveness patterns. These findings suggest a starting point for the development and planning of targeted public health interventions.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 18