Food Fussiness Processes in Middle Childhood: Application of a Dual-Processing Model Using Measures of Temperament

Background: Analyses based on a dual-processing approach can contribute to a better understanding of the processes involved in food fussiness in children. This approach combines reactive or automatic avoidance responses together with regulatory processes, such as inhibitory control. Previous research has mainly focused on the avoidance response rather than both avoidance and regulatory control. Objective: The main purpose of the research was to investigate possible processes associated with food fussiness in children older than early childhood and into middle childhood (here, 5-to-12-year-olds) based on a dual-processing approach. Methods: The food fussiness subscale of the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) and the impulsivity, fear, shyness and inhibitory control subscales of the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) were used. Multivariable regression examined bottom–up/top–down temperament measures as components of the food fussiness process, with the main effects and interactions. ANOVA examined differences in the temperament measures for non-fussy, moderately fussy and severely fussy children. Results: The regression analysis showed that higher food fussiness was associated with lower impulsivity and lower inhibitory control. There also was a significant interaction between impulsivity and inhibitory control, suggesting that higher food fussiness for some children was associated with a combination of low impulsivity (more behavioral inhibition) and low inhibitory control. Conclusions: The results suggest that an analysis of food fussiness in terms of higher bottom–up avoidance in tandem with lower top–down inhibitory control is a helpful approach to the interpretation of the core processes involved in food fussiness in children. A better understanding of the fussiness processes can guide approaches to preventive interventions, including for parents of children with food fussiness.