Preschool eating patterns may tell us more than we think about children’s long-term well-being. A new study from McGill University and the Douglas Research Centre found that girls who overeat regularly in early childhood are more likely to experience anxiety, impulsivity and hyperactivity as teenagers. The link did not appear in boys.
The research, published in BMC Pediatrics, followed more than 2,000 Quebec children from toddlerhood through age 15, analyzing caregiver reports of eating behaviors and later assessments of mental health. About 14% of children began overeating between ages 2 and 4, and another 26% started later around age 4. For girls in those groups, frequent overeating predicted more emotional and behavioral difficulties in adolescence.
“Occasional overeating is normal, but if a child frequently overeats, it can be a sign of emotional struggles,” said senior author Linda Booij, PhD, a professor of psychiatry at McGill and clinician-scientist at the Douglas Research Centre. “The answer isn’t restriction. In fact, strict control can make things worse and even increase the risk of disordered eating. Instead, parents and caregivers should also pay attention to children’s emotional well-being.”
Why only girls? Researchers suggest sociocultural influences may play a role. Parents often monitor girls’ eating more closely than boys’, and restrictive environments may increase the risk of disordered eating later on.
The study also examined picky eating, a common worry among parents. Roughly one-third of the children were picky eaters in preschool, and those habits generally persisted through childhood. But unlike overeating, picky eating showed no connection to later mental health struggles. Booij notes that while picky eating can sometimes affect nutrition or growth, it is often just a developmental phase and not a warning sign on its own.
The findings highlight that eating behaviors in young children can sometimes serve as early signals of emotional or behavioral challenges, but not always in the ways parents expect. Recognizing when overeating may reflect underlying stress could help families and clinicians support children before difficulties escalate.
This study was supported by the Institut de la statistique du Québec, the Quebec ministries of health, education and family affairs, the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation, the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail, the Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Santé and Société et Culture, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre.