Eating behavior in children

Abstract

Introduction: Socio-cultural changes such as increase in sedentary and high fat and sugar food intake, along with genetic characteristics, have produced an increase on obesity worldwide. Early evaluation in children, through the establishment of genetic profiles associated with obesity and metabolic and hedonic feeding regulation, complemented with feeding behavior studies would allow us to predict obesity predisposition at adult stages. Objective: To review concepts associated with feeding behavior regulation, focusing on hedonic control, which can become a predictive parameter of obesity in children. Material and methods: A review on child obesity papers and homeostatic and hedonic regulation of food intake literature was performed, including paper describing genetic parameters associated with obesity. In the articles search work on animals and humans (children and adults, but with emphasis on children) was included. Results: Cellular mechanisms of food intake regulation and also feeding behavior studies on children were analyzed, exposing background and deficiencies on research development for predicting child obesity. Conclusion: Hedonic regulation of feeding behavior in children, such as genetic profiles associated with dopamine receptors, can become important predictors of obesity. It is necessary to increase the number of studies that allows a better definition of which are the best parameters to predict obesity development in adulthood.