Prevalence and Determinants of Eating Behaviors Among School-Going Children in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND

Childhood eating behaviors arise from the interaction of socio-demographic, emotional, and environmental influences that shape food-related responses early in life. Guided by a behavioral-ecological perspective, this study explored key determinants of emotional, physical-activity-related, and social-interaction-based eating behaviors among school-aged children in Bangladesh.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 420 school-going children (aged 4-12 years) across urban, semi-urban, and rural areas in Bangladesh. Data were collected through structured interviews with guardians. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 17. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics, while Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Behavioral changes were most frequent in the emotional domain (90.5%), followed by physical activity-related (88.1%) and social interaction-related behaviors (86.2%). Parental education and urban residence were consistent predictors of greater behavioral variation. Higher household income was associated with lower odds of physical-activity-related changes (AOR = 0.09, P < .05), while religion was linked to social eating differences (AOR = 0.32, P < .05).

CONCLUSION

Parental education, residence, income, and religion significantly shape children's eating behaviors. These findings highlight the importance of integrating emotional and environmental perspectives in designing child nutrition programs, particularly for low-income and less-educated families.