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Table 4 Tetrachoric correlations between MZ and DZ twins for selected eating behaviors

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

Variable

Age

n (twin pairs)

Tetrachoric correlations

MZ

DZ

Does not eat enough

2.5

346

0.91 (0.81, 1.00)*

0.46 (0.19, 0.72)

 

9

345

0.67 (0.45, 0.90)*

−0.09 (−0.43, 0.26)

Eats too much

2.5

346

0.88 (0.75, 1.00)*

0.43 (0.10, 0.75)

 

9

345

0.52 (0.25, 0.80)

0.19 (−0.09, 0.47)

Eats too fast

2.5

346

0.72 (0.52, 0.92)

0.34 (0.08, 0.60)

 

9

346

0.50 (0.27, 0.74)*

−0.02 (−0.27, 0.23)

Refuses to eat

2.5

346

0.85 (0.73, 0.96)

0.56 (0.39, 0.74)

 

9

345

0.82 (0.64, 0.99)

0.47 (0.21, 0.73)

Fussy about food

2.5

346

0.84 (0.65, 1.00)

0.61 (0.37, 0.86)

 

9

346

0.85 (0.68, 1.00)*

−0.02 (−0.38, 0.34)

Eats at irregular hours

2.5

346

0.98 (0.95, 1.00)

0.95 (0.86, 1.00)

 

9

346

0.89 (0.74, 1.00)

0.74 (0.54, 0.95)

Eats between meals

2.5

344

0.96 (0.92, 1.00)

0.84 (0.73, 0.94)

 

9

346

0.81 (0.68, 0.94)*

0.46 (0.24, 0.68)

Eats a different meal

2.5

344

1.00 (0.99, 1.00)

1.00 (0.99, 1.00)

 

9

345

0.70 (0.48, 0.91)

0.71 (0.54, 0.88)

Skips breakfast

9

346

0.89 (0.73, 1.00)

0.77 (0.59, 0.95)

Fussy about vegetables

9

267

0.75 (0.57, 0.92)*

0.29 (0.02, 0.56)

Fussy about fruit

9

346

0.69 (0.46, 0.93)

0.50 (0.25, 0.76)

Fussy about whole-grain bread

9

345

0.80 (0.64, 0.95)

0.87 (0.78, 0.96)

  1. *MZ is significantly different from DZ (P < 0.05). 95% CIs in parentheses.