Child feeding behaviour and appetite regulation; infancy and attachment

I am primarily interested in the development of children's food preferences, and factors that contribute to good appetite regulation in childhood. Much of my understanding in these areas comes from working with children who refuse to eat or fail to put on weight; children who, very often, have a medical condition which affects their feeding behaviour. I am also interested in the development of taste preference in infancy, before young children move from a milk diet to a 'solid' diet.

Appetite regulation is determined by both internal and external cues. Young children attend primarily to internal cues to eat; that is, whether or not they are hungry or satiated, but as children get older they attend to external cues to eat, they might finish up what is on the plate or eat what others are eating despite no longer being hungry. I am therefore interested in the differences between children, in the extent to which they attend to internal or external cues to eat and how this relates to both temperament type and parental anxiety at mealtimes.

There are differences, too, in the range of foods that children will eat. We have isolated some sensitive periods, for the introduction of tastes, and for the introduction of textures. However, some children who have had foods introduced to them at the appropriate times, still eat a very limited range of foods. Children within the autistic spectrum often eat very few foods, and this seems to be linked to the ways in which children categorize foods in the first four years of life.

My research therefore includes both clinical and non-clinical populations and looks at the acquisition of taste and food preferences in the first years, at factors affecting appetite regulation, at the development of food categorization in the early years, and the interaction between child temperament, parental management style and food 'fussiness'.

Blissett, J., Harris, G. & Kirk, J. (2001) Feeding problems in children with Silver-Russell Syndrome. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. 43; 39-44.

Blissett, J., Harris, G., Kirk, J. & Cunningham, J. (2002) Faltering Growth: a case study and recommendations for best practice. Community Practitioner, 75, 11; 424-427.

Blissett, J. & Harris G (2002). A behavioural intervention in a Child with Feeding Problems. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 15; 1-7.

Harris,G. & Blissett, J. (2002). The psychological impact of feeding difficulties. Paediatric Practice, November Issue, Community Practitioner.

Coulthard, H. & Harris, G. (2003) Early food refusal: the role of maternal mood. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 21,4,335-345.

Nordin, S., Harris, G. & Cumming, J. (2003) Disturbed Eating in Young, Competitive Gymnasts: Differences between Three Gymnastics Disciplines. European Journal of Sport Sciences, December,3,5.

Coulthard, H., Blissett, J.& Harris, G. (2003) The relationship between parental eating problems and children’s feeding behaviour: a selective review of the literature. Eating Behaviors, 5, 103-115.

Johnson, R., & Harris, G. (2004) An investigation of the predictors of feeding problems in late infancy. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. 22,3, 183-188.

Passmore, S.l & Harris, G. (2004) Education, health and school meals: a review of policy changes in the UK over the last century. British Nutrition Foundation, Nutrition Bulletin. 29, 221-228.

Cunningham,J.,Harris,G., Vostanis, P., Oyebode, F. and Blissett,J. (2004) Children of mothers with mental illness: attachment, emotional and behavioural problems. Early Child Development and Care, 174 (7-8). 639-650.

Jones, C., Harris, G., Leung, N. (2005) Core beliefs and eating disorder recovery. European Eating Disorder Review.13, 237-244.

Mason,S., Harris,G. & Blissett, J. (2005) Tube feeding in Infancy: implications for the development of normal eating and drinking skills. Dysphagia. 20,1.

Passmore, S. & Harris, G. (2005) School Nutrition Action Groups, and their effect on secondary aged children’s food choices. British Nutrition Foundation, Nutrition Bulletin, 30,364-369.

Jones, C ., Harris, G. & Leung, N. (2005) Parental rearing behaviours and eating disorders: the moderating role of core beliefs. Eating Behaviours, 6, 335-346.

Jones, C ., Leung, N. & Harris, G. (2006) Father-daughter relationship and eating psychopathology: the mediating role of core beliefs, British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45, 319-330.

Jones, C., Harris, G. & Leung, N. (2006) Core beliefs and recollections of parenting across age groups. Eating and Weight Disorders,11,2, 75-78

Blissett, J., Cunningham, J., Harris, G., Jones, C., Leung, N., & Meyer, C . (2006) Different core beliefs predict paternal and maternal attachment representations in young women. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy.

Jones,C,.Harris,G.. Leung , N, Blissett, J., & Meyer, C. (2007) The effect of induced stress on the relationship between perfectionism and unhealthy eating attitudes. Eating and Weight Disorders, 12, 2, e39.

Jones, C., Leung, N., & Harris, G. (2007) Dysfunctional Core Beliefs in Eating Disorders; a Review. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy., 21,2, 156-171.

Weaver, L ., More,J. & Harris. G. (2008) What food for toddlers? British Nutrition Foundation Nutrition Bulletin, 33, 40-46.

Harris,G. (2008) Development of taste and food preferences in children. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care,11,3, 315-319.

Coulthard,H., Harris,G., Emmett, P. & the ALSPAC team. (2009) Delayed introduction of lumpy foods to children during the complementary feeding period affects child’s food acceptance and feeding at 7 years of age. Maternal and Child Nutrition; 5:75-85.

Walsh, J.; Schofield, G.; Harris, G.; Vostanis, P.; Oyebode, F.; Coulthard, H. (2009) Attachment and Coping Strategies in Middle Childhood Children whose Mothers Have a Mental Health Problem: Implications for Social Work Practice. British Journal of Social Work,Vol 39; Number 1 pp. 81-98

Harris,G. (2009) Food refusal and the sensory sensitive child. Paediatrics and Child Health, Sept. 19.9, 435-6.

Venter, C & Harris, G. (2009) The development of childhood dietary practices and their implications for later adult health. Nutrition Bulletin, December.

Coulthard, H , Harris, G, Emmet, P. & the ALSPAC team. (2010) Long term consequences of early fruit and vegetable feeding practices. Public Health and Nutrition, June, Volume 13 / Issue 12, pp 2044 -2051.

Harris, G. (2010) The psychology behind growth faltering. European Journal Clinical Nutrition, 64;S14-16.