Summary: A longitudinal study of more than 2,000 children in Quebec reports that girls who frequently overate during the preschool years were more likely to show symptoms of anxiety, impulsivity, and hyperactivity by age 15. The same link was not observed among boys, a difference the researchers suggest may reflect social and family influences such as closer monitoring or restrictive feeding practices for girls. The investigators stress that early overeating appears to be a warning sign of emotional difficulty rather than a proven cause, and that restrictive responses to eating problems can worsen outcomes. The results point to the value of supporting children’s emotional health when eating difficulties arise.
Key facts
- Study population: Over 2,000 children from Quebec followed from early childhood to age 15.
- Main finding: Frequent preschool overeating in girls was associated with adolescent anxiety, impulsivity and hyperactivity.
- Sex differences: No comparable association was found for boys.
- Picky eating: Picky eating in early childhood tended to persist but was not linked to adolescent mental‑health symptoms.
- Source: McGill University and the Douglas Research Centre.
What caregivers should know
The study highlights that persistent overeating in preschool-aged children can be an early indicator of later emotional or behavioral challenges, particularly for girls. Researchers caution that the findings describe associations rather than direct causation. Occasional overeating is common and generally not a reason for alarm; however, frequent or escalating overeating may reflect underlying emotional distress, stress regulation difficulties, or other concerns that merit attention.
Linda Booij, senior author and professor in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry, emphasizes that restrictive feeding practices are not the recommended response. Strict control over food can backfire and may increase the risk of disordered eating. Instead, parents and caregivers are encouraged to monitor a child’s overall emotional well‑being, to respond with supportive, non‑punitive strategies, and to seek professional advice when eating behaviors persist or interfere with daily functioning.
Why the difference between girls and boys?
The study’s sex-specific findings may reflect sociocultural and family dynamics. Researchers suggest that girls’ eating may be monitored more closely, or that girls may face different social pressures around food and body image even at young ages. These contextual factors could contribute to why early overeating predicted later anxiety and hyperactivity in girls but not in boys. The authors call for further research to untangle biological, psychological and social contributors to these patterns.
In the cohort analyzed, three overeating trajectories emerged: about 61.6% of children showed no signs of overeating, roughly 14.1% began overeating early (between ages two and four), and about 24.3% developed overeating later (around age four). Girls in both early- and late-onset overeating groups were more likely than non-overeaters to report anxiety, impulsivity and hyperactivity at age 15.
Picky eating: a distinct pattern
The researchers also identified three stable trajectories for picky eating: high (7.1%), medium (37.4%), and low (55.5%). Roughly one third of children exhibited persistent picky eating in early childhood. Unlike overeating, persistent picky eating did not predict adolescent internalizing or externalizing symptoms in this sample. While picky eating is often a normal developmental phase, clinicians note that prolonged or severe picky eating that affects growth, nutrition or daily functioning may warrant further assessment.
Study methods and measures
The analysis drew on the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development. A total of 2,014 participants were enrolled at birth. Mothers reported on children’s eating behaviors at several points between 29 and 72 months of age. At age 15, participants completed a standardized mental health assessment to capture symptoms related to anxiety, impulsivity, hyperactivity and other internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Statistical techniques, including latent class analysis and regression models, were used to identify behavioral trajectories and test associations with adolescent outcomes.
Conclusions and implications
The study suggests overeating behaviors in early childhood are less stable over time than picky eating and that, when overeating does persist or develop, it may signal later emotional or behavioral vulnerabilities—especially among girls. The authors recommend that professionals and caregivers look beyond eating habits alone and consider children’s psychological well‑being and attention‑related symptoms when overeating is present. Interventions should focus on emotional support and healthy relationships with food rather than on strict restriction.
Funding and research details
This research received support from multiple Quebec and national funding bodies, including provincial ministries, foundations and health research agencies. The study and its findings were published as an open‑access article in BMC Pediatrics: “Trajectories of childhood eating behaviors and their association with internalizing and externalizing symptoms in adolescence” by Linda Booij and colleagues. The original research is available through the journal’s open access record (DOI: 10.1186/s12887-025-06001-z).
Frequently asked questions
Q: What did the study find about preschool overeating?
A: Girls who frequently overate in early childhood were more likely to report anxiety, impulsivity and hyperactivity at age 15.
Q: Did the same pattern appear in boys?
A: No. The association between preschool overeating and adolescent symptoms was observed only in girls in this sample.
Q: Should parents restrict food to prevent problems?
A: No. The study and its authors advise against strict food restriction, which can worsen eating problems. The priority should be to support emotional health and seek professional guidance when concerns persist.
Author: Keila DePape, McGill University
Source: McGill University / Douglas Research Centre
Image credit: Neuroscience News
Abstract summary
Objective: To describe early childhood trajectories of overeating and picky eating from roughly 2.5 to 6 years, and to examine whether these trajectories are linked to internalizing and externalizing symptoms at age 15. Methods: Data came from 2,014 participants in the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development with repeated parent reports of eating behaviors and a standardized adolescent mental health assessment. Results: Three overeating trajectories (early-onset, late-onset, never) and three picky eating trajectories (high, mid, low) were identified. In girls, higher childhood overeating was associated with greater impulsivity, hyperactivity and anxiety in adolescence; this association was not found in boys. Picky eating trajectories were not associated with adolescent mental‑health symptoms. Conclusions: Persistent or emerging overeating in early childhood may be an early marker of later psychological and attention-related difficulties, especially in girls. Interventions should prioritize emotional support and monitoring rather than strict dietary control.