Genetic and environmental influences on eating behaviors in 2.5- and 9-year-old children: a longitudinal twin study

Table 3 Prevalence estimates for selected eating behaviors

Variable	Age	n(twins)	%
Does not eat enough	2.5	692	15.0
	9	690	14.3
Eats too much	2.5	692	11.4
	9	690	17.4²
Eats too fast	2.5	692	17.1
	9	692	26.7^2,3
Refuses to eat	2.5	690	31.9⁴
	9	692	12.6
Fussy about food	2.5	690	9.4
	9	692	10.7
Eats at irregular hours	2.5	688	7.6
	9	692	8.5⁵
Eats between meals	2.5	692	27.9
	9	692	24.6
Eats a different meal	2.5	688	25.6⁴
	9	692	15.9
Skips breakfast	9	688	7.8
Fussy about vegetables	9	690¹	18.7
Fussy about fruit	9	692	13.3
Fussy about whole-grain bread	9	534¹	33.9

¹Excluding families who indicated not offering the food item (first screening question).
²Prevalence higher in 9-year-old than in 2.5-year-old children (P < 0.05).
³Prevalence higher in boys than in girls (P < 0.05).
⁴Prevalence higher in 2.5-year-old than in 9-year-old children (P < 0.05).
⁵Prevalence higher in girls than in boys (P < 0.05).

ISSN: 1479-5868