Open AccessEating Behaviors of Late and Moderately Preterm Infants at Two Years of Age and Their Associations With Mothers’ Mental Health
Author(s) -
Duran Sedef,
Duran Rıdvan,
Acunaş Betül,
Cesur Gülay,
Çiftdemir Nükhet Aladağ
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.206
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1536-4801
pISSN - 0277-2116
DOI - 10.1097/mpg.0000000000002947
Subject(s) - medicine , neophobia , pediatrics , anxiety , mental health , depression (economics) , gestation , pregnancy , psychiatry , genetics , biology , economics , macroeconomics
ABSTRACT Objectives: Preterm infants are at high risk for nutritional difficulties during the neonatal period and early childhood. Long‐term nutritional difficulties contribute to unbalanced food intake and growth disorders and are the source of major emotional stress for the family. The aim of this study is to investigate the eating problems of late and moderately preterm (LMPT) infants at the age of 2 years, and to examine the association of these problems with the mental status of their mothers. Methods: In this cross‐sectional study, group 1 included LMPT infants born between 32 and 36 + 6 weeks of gestation and Group 2 included term infants born between 37 and 41 + 6 weeks of gestation. Children's Nutrition Difficulties Questionnaire and 21‐item Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS 21) were used for the detection of nutritional difficulties of infants and mothers’ mental health status. Results: Groups 1 and 2 were consisted of 79 LMPT and 38 term infants, respectively. Late and moderately preterm infants were found to have a lower drive‐to‐eat and food repertoire scores as well as lower appetite and food enjoyment than term infants. Pickiness and food neophobia were found to be higher in LMPT infants than term infants. The DASS‐21 scores of the mothers of the LMPT infants were higher than those of the term ones. Conclusions: These findings suggest that LMPT infants have more nutritional difficulties at the age of 2 years than term infants and their mothers exhibit more emotional distress than term infant's mothers.