Progress in researches on eating behaviors among preschool children in China

Good dietary behavior is not only very important to the growth and development of young children, but also has a great impact on their lifetime health. The study analyzed eating problems, influencing factors of eating behavior and the strategies to promote good eating behavior in Chinese preschool children. By reviewing recent published researches on preschool children's eating behavior, we identified seven major problems in eating behavior among Chinese children, including preference for snacks, unhealthy food preference, distracted eating, inability to eat independently, long eating time, irregular meals, and skipping breakfast; we also summarized major factors affecting children's eating behavior such as parental feeding behavior, parenting styles, grandparents' attitudes, dining environment at home, family socio-economic status, media publicity, and the popularity of western fast food. Based on the published studies, the strategies to promote good eating behavior in preschool children include changing parents' attitudes and behaviors, creating a good dining environment, and improving the role of kindergartens and teachers. Limitations of the published researches in terms of research design, sampling and confounding factors were also discussed in the review.