Infantile Anorexia

Abstract

Eating disorders among young children are not well characterized. Diet and growth data were collected from toddlers (1-3 years old) at the time of diagnosis of infantile anorexia (IA) and up to 1 year after family counseling. Children (n = 62) were underweight (≤ −2 z-score weight-for-age). Boys (n = 34) had a greater ( P = .04) mean (standard error) weight-for-age percentile than girls (n = 28) and less evidence of wasting ( z-score weight-for-length = −1.8 (0.14) vs −2.3 (0.17), respectively; P = .04). After counseling, girls demonstrated better linear growth than boys (4.14 (0.18) vs 3.47 (0.18) cm/6 months, respectively; P < .002). Significant catch-up in length-for-age was observed across genders and diagnoses of 1.4 (2.07) growth percentiles and 0.13 (0.05) z-scores on the normal curve in 6 months ( P = .019). Head circumference correlated with dietary protein ( r = .23, P = .03), calcium ( r = .32, P = .004), and zinc ( r = .36, P = .001). Girls met or exceeded dietary reference intakes for energy, protein, iron, zinc, vitamin A, and calcium, and boys improved intake of these nutrients ( P < .05) but boys with IA fell short of recommended energy intake. Many children with IA reached tolerable upper intake levels for zinc and vitamin A, which warrants concern. These are the first data published on diet and growth among children with IA.