Association between eating behavior and nutritional status in Chilean preschoolers

Introduction: the eating behavior is associated with the nutritional status at early ages. However, in Chile there are still no studies that evaluate this relationship in the preschool stage. Objective: to associate the nutritional status and eating behavior of Chilean preschoolers. Methods: cross-sectional study in 247 preschoolers (2-4 years) from the region of Araucania, Chile. The nutritional status was evaluated through the anthropometric index weight/height and waist circumference/age. The Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) survey was applied to mothers to assess their children's eating. Results: one hundred and thirty were men and 117 were women with an overweight/obese percentage of 58.6% and 49.6%, respectively. Eating behavior scores pro-intake (food approach) have a positive and significant association with nutritional status) and in the food responsiveness sub-scale in the total sample. Regarding the anti-intake score (food avoidant), an inverse trend with nutritional status is shown; however, there is a negative and significant association in the satiety responsiveness scale and slowness in eating. Conclusion: the pro-intake eating behavior is directly associated with nutritional status, and anti-ingest score is inversely related only to certain sub-scales.