Bidirectional associations between fussy eating and functional constipation in preschool children

Abstract

Objective: To examine bidirectional associations between a child's fussy eating behavior and functional constipation. Study design: Participants were 4823 children enrolled in a prospective cohort study from pregnancy onward. We assessed fussy eating at age 4 years with the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and assessed functional constipation using ROME II and III criteria with parental questionnaires at age 2, 3, 4, and 6 years. Results: Higher food fussiness at age 4 years was associated with a greater risk of functional constipation at both 4 years (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.20-1.42; P < .05 per 1 SD increase). The converse was also observed; previous constipation predicted a greater risk of being a fussy eater at age 4 years (constipation at 2 years: OR, 2.05; 95% CI 1.43-2.94; P < .001). Path analyses confirmed that the association between fussy eating and functional constipation was indeed bidirectional, showing that functional constipation at age 3 years predicted fussy eater classification at age 4 years (β = 0.06; P < .001), which in turn predicted functional constipation at age 6 years (β = 0.08: P < .001) independent of each other. Conclusion: A vicious cycle might develop in which children with functional constipation develop unhealthy eating behavior, which in turn increases the risk of functional gastrointestinal disease.