Temperament and dietary self-regulation in young children who are obese or at risk of obesity: an exploratory report.

First published: June 2, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12821

Commentary

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between temperament and dietary self-regulation in young children in relation to childhood obesity. The study investigated the association between three dietary behaviors and three temperament aspects in 4-8 year olds who are obese or at risk for obesity.

Results showed that in the 28 participants who were given a family intervention to reduce their eating speed, a slower child's eating speed was associated with less surge (r = -.39, p = .04) and a higher food reactivity was associated with greater negative effects (r = .40, p = .03).

In conclusion, the results supported the potential yield of temperament toward food being associated with obesity and integrating it with self-regulatory assessment of food. Parents need to have a good understanding of their child's temperament towards food.