About this Research Topic

Background

Effective self-regulation is important for children’s healthy growth and development across a number of domains, including appetite. The development of appetite self-regulatory (ASR) abilities during infancy and childhood can assist with the selection and consumption of healthy foods in appropriate amounts and therefore promote healthy growth and development.

There is increasing evidence about biological (e.g. neuroendocrinal, neurocognitive, sensory systems) and psychoneurological processes involved in appetite regulation and appetite self-regulation, and scope for this knowledge to be applied to processes in ASR and its development in childhood. There is also increasing evidence about fundamental processes in child development in areas such as executive function, inhibitory control and impulsivity with scope for application and integration into the development of ASR, particularly within biopsychosocial frameworks. At present, there are limited models of components and processes in appetite self-regulation in childhood, as well as a need for better construct definition and measurement, and greater attention to trajectories and processes in developmental change.

This Research Topic aims to draw contributions from multiple disciplines that can make theoretical and empirical contributions about the origins, processes and development of ASR in infancy and during childhood. The focus includes food approach aspects of ASR as well as food avoidance. Relevant disciplines include nutrition and food sciences, human/child development, neuropsychology, pediatrics, sensory systems, the psychobiology of appetite, and biological sciences including ingestive behaviors, gastro-endocrinology, and neuroendocrinology.

We seek articles about the conceptualization and measurement of ASR and its development during infancy and childhood. An aim is to evaluate current approaches and point to new directions. Possible article types are: original research, review, mini review, methods, hypothesis and theory, perspective, conceptual analysis, brief research report and opinion.

The topic is intended to include, but is not limited to: (i) conceptual models that reimagine components and processes in light of advances in knowledge from contributing disciplines (ii) new approaches to the measurement of components and processes in ASR, including of their development, (iii) advances in the application of general models such as (a) bottom-up responses to food and food cues and top-down regulatory processes and (b) the satiety cascade (iv) description of developmental trajectories of components and processes in ASR, (v) ideas about early precursors or emergent indicators of ASR (including of approach and avoidance tendencies as well as regulatory capacities), (vi) mechanisms or processes connecting homeostatic regulation and hedonic systems, (vii) the application of neuro-cognitive and biopsychological approaches to the development of ASR, (viii) the role of early taste preferences and sensory perceptions in energy/food intake, (ix) the possible contribution of macronutrients as well as discretionary or ultra-processed food to the disruption of ASR, especially to satiation, satiety and inhibitory control.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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