Slow Eating Research Articles

Indian fathers’ perceptions of young childcare and feeding – A qualitative study

The role of parents in fostering children's healthy habits is a robust area of research. However, most of the existing literature predominantly focuses on mothers' parenting practices. Given the emergence of nuclear, dual earning families and the recent surge in maternal employment in urban India, fathers' engagement in child rearing and feeding warrants attention. The purpose of this research was to document the views of Indian fathers about paternal parenting practices, with an emphasis on children's diet among other health behaviors. Thirty-three fathers of children aged 6–59 months from Kolkata, India took part in semi-structured interviews conducted either face-to-face or over Zoom/telephone in Hindi, Bengali, and English. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated to English. The transcribed data were subjected to thematic analysis informed by the Template Analysis technique. Themes were detected using the NVivo software program. Overall, these Indian fathers played an important role in early childhood care and feeding as reflected in the following seven themes: (i) Involvement of fathers in various childcare activities; (ii) Implementation of responsive and non-responsive feeding practices; (iii) Concerns regarding fussy and slow eating; (iv) Concerns regarding excessive screen time; (v) Paternal vs maternal parenting; (vi) Barriers to routine engagement of fathers in childcare; (vii) Desire for more nutrition and health knowledge. This enhanced understanding of paternal parenting behavior supports the inclusion of fathers in future family-focused lifestyle interventions aimed at improving children's health outcomes, including their dietary habits.

Differences in maternal and paternal pressure to eat and perception of household responsibilities.

Controlling feeding practices, such as pressure to eat, are associated with a child's disinhibited eating and extremes in bodyweight. We aimed to explore which factors are associated with parent dyads' pressuring feeding practices, including how mothers and fathers perceive the sharing of household tasks such as mealtime and child feeding responsibilities. In this cross-sectional study, parent dyads (mother and father) of healthy preschool-aged children completed an identical questionnaire consisting of measures of picky eating (food fussiness subscale of Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire), parental concern for undereating, and pressure to eat (Child Feeding Questionnaire). We used separate multivariable linear regression models for mothers and fathers to assess correlates associated with pressure to eat subscale score, including slowness of eating and enjoyment of food, child BMI z-score and race/ethnicity, and household income. Separate unadjusted linear regression models for mothers and fathers were used to report the association of pressure to eat with household responsibilities. Parents (N = 88) had similar mean picky eating, concern for undereating, and pressure to eat scores; more fathers had high pressure to eat scores (36% vs 27%). Higher pressure to eat was significantly associated with lower income, non-Hispanic Black or Black race/ethnicity, slow eating, and lower enjoyment of food. Pressure was not associated with household responsibilities. While there were similar maternal and paternal perceptions of child eating behaviors, more fathers reported pressuring their child to eat. Identifying differences in parental feeding practices may assist in intervention development to improve feeding practices.

Sex differences in waist circumference obesity and eating speed: a cross-sectional study of Japanese people with normal body mass index.

Fast eating has been positively associated with visceral fat accumulation in normal-weight individuals according to body mass index (BMI). However, previous studies have not examined energy and nutrients, or adjusted for food intake. We examined the relationship between eating speed and visceral fat accumulation, using waist circumference as an index, in middle-aged participants who were considered to be of standard weight according to BMI, with nutrient intake added as an adjustment factor. We included 6,548 Japanese participants (3,875 men and 2,673 women) aged 40-74 years with BMI 18.5-25.0 kg/m2 who were enrolled in the Yamagata Cohort Study. Participants were divided into "fast," "normal," and "slow" eaters according to self-reported eating speed. Nutrient and food intake were evaluated using a food frequency questionnaire, and the difference in intake by eating speed and sex was compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between waist circumference obesity (men ≥85 cm, women ≥90 cm, according to Japanese criteria) and eating speed, adjusted for nutrient intake and other lifestyle habits. In men, slow eaters had greater intakes of dietary protein, fat, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), omega-3 PUFA, total dietary fiber, soluble dietary fiber, insoluble dietary fiber, soybean products, fish, green and yellow vegetables, other vegetables, mushrooms, and seaweed in comparison with normal-speed eaters. In men, waist circumference obesity was significantly lower among slow eaters than in the group with normal eating speed. In women, waist circumference obesity was not significantly associated with eating speed and was not also associated with nutrient/food consumption except omega-6 PUFA. Eating slowly was associated with healthy dietary habits. Our results could help prevent waist circumference obesity in men with a BMI between 18.5 and 25.0 kg/m2. However, similar findings were not observed in women, suggesting a sex difference.

Adherence to a healthy lifestyle behavior composite score and cardiometabolic risk factors in Spanish children from the CORALS cohort

To assess the associations between the adherence to a composite score comprised of 6 healthy lifestyle behaviors and its individual components with several cardiometabolic risk factors in Spanish preschool children. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted in 938 participants included in the CORALS cohort aged 3–6 years. Six recognized healthy lifestyle behaviors (breastfeeding, sleep duration, physical activity, screentime, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and eating speed) were assessed in a composite score. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were fitted to assess the associations with cardiometabolic risk factors (weight status, waist circumference, fat mass index, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, and lipid profile). In the adjusted multiple linear and logistic regression models, compared with the reference category of adherence to the healthy lifestyle behavior composite score, those participants in the category of the highest adherence showed significant decreased prevalence risk of overweight or obesity [OR (95% CI), 0.4 (0.2, 0.6)] as well as significant lower waist circumference, fat mass index (FMI), systolic blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose concentration [β (95% CI), − 1.4 cm (− 2.5, − 0.4); − 0.3 kg/m2 (− 0.5, − 0.1); and − 3.0 mmHg (− 5.2, − 0.9); − 1.9 mg/dL (− 3.5, − 0.4), respectively]. Slow eating speed was individually associated with most of the cardiometabolic risk factors. Conclusions: Higher adherence to the healthy lifestyle behavior composite score was associated with lower waist circumference, FMI, other cardiometabolic risk factors, and risk of overweight or obesity in Spanish preschool children. Further studies are required to confirm these associations.What is Known:• Lifestyle is a well-recognized etiologic factor of obesity and its comorbidities.• Certain healthy behaviors such as adhering to a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and decreasing screentime are strategies for prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.What is New:• Higher adherence to the healthy lifestyle behavior composite score to 6 healthy behaviors (breastfeeding, sleep duration, physical activity, screentime, eating speed, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet) was associated with decreased adiposity, including prevalence risk of overweight or obesity, and cardiometabolic risk in preschool children.• Slow eating and greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet were mainly associated to lower fasting plasma and serum triglycerides concentration, respectively.

Eating Behavior, Nutritional Status, and Taste Perception Alteration in Children with Cancer.

The aim of this study was to investigate eating behavior, nutritional status, and taste alterations in children with cancer. The population of the study consisted of children 8 to 18 years of age and their parents who were followed up and received chemotherapy in the pediatric hematology and oncology clinic and outpatient clinic of a University Faculty of Medicine Oncology Hospital. Data were collected using the Child Identification Form, the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), the Taste Alteration Scale for Children Receiving Chemotherapy (TAC-TAS), and the Subjective Total Taste Acuity Scale (STTA). Body Mass Index (BMI) Z score was between -2 and +2 (normal) in 92.5% of the children and below ≤-2 (malnutrition) in 7.5%. The mean CEBQ subdimensions scores were food craving 12.48±5.36, emotional overeating 5.28±1.45, enjoyment of food 16.83±5.41, passion for drinking 9.72±5.13, satiety enthusiasm 22.93±6.65, slow eating 9.81±4.95, emotional undereating 16.38±4.41, and food selectivity 10.72±2.86, and the mean total TAC-TAS score was 8.66±10.22. A negative, moderate correlation was determined between food craving and enjoyment of food and taste alteration, with food craving and enjoyment decreasing as food alteration increased. A positive moderate correlation was observed between slow eating and taste alteration, with eating slowing down as taste alteration increased.

Bicarbonate to boost performance and peptides to slow eating

Bicarb benefits without the belch? For athletes, baking soda isn’t something to be thrown into a cake or forgotten in the back of the refrigerator. It’s an established aid for enhancing performance during exercise. Ingesting baking soda raises blood pH and readies the body to buffer the acidity that can build up within muscles during intense exercise. The supermarket staple is known to boost performance in events lasting less than 8 min or so across a range of sports ( J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr. 2022, DOI: 10.1186/s12970-021-00469-7 ). The 1% or better bump it can provide in anerobic performance is significant in elite competition. That benefit comes at a price. It’s like powering a science fair volcano with stomach acid instead of vinegar. When the digestive system meets the baking soda, the carbon dioxide it liberates has to go somewhere. For many people, the bloating, belching, nausea, and worse

Bicarbonate to boost performance and peptides to slow eating

Bicarbonate to boost performance and peptides to slow eating

Eating speed and height loss in relation to overweight: A retrospective study.

Fast eating is an independent risk factor for weight gain. Our previous study involving Japanese workers revealed that overweight (body mass index ≥ 25.0 kg/m2) is an independent risk factor for height loss. However, no studies have clarified the association between eating speed and height loss in relation to overweight status. A retrospective study of 8,982 Japanese workers was conducted. Height loss was defined as being in the highest quintile of height decrease per year. Compared with slow eating, fast eating was revealed to be positively associated with overweight; the fully adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was 2.92 (2.29, 3.72). Among non-overweight participants, fast eaters had higher odds of height loss than slow eaters. Among overweight participants, fast eaters had lower odds of height loss; the fully adjusted OR (95% CI) was 1.34 (1.05, 1.71) for non-overweight individuals and 0.52 (0.33, 0.82) for overweight individuals. Since overweight was significantly positively associated with height loss [1.17(1.03, 1.32)], fast eating is not favorable for reducing the risk of height loss among overweight individuals. Those associations indicate that weight gain is not the main cause of height loss among Japanese workers who eat fast.

Maternal Feeding Beliefs and Behaviors Relate to Infant Diet and Appetite.

Maternal feeding practices may be linked to infant obesogenic outcomes, but research to date has focused primarily on infant growth as an outcome of maternal feeding practices rather than exploring additional obesogenic outcomes like infant appetite and diet. Therefore, the current study examined the association between maternal feeding practices and beliefs and infant growth, diet, and appetite simultaneously at a critical timepoint for obesity risk development (i.e., 3-months-old). Thirty-two 3-month-old infants and their mothers participated in this cross-sectional study. Infant anthropometrics were collected by trained staff and mothers completed questionnaires regarding maternal feeding practices and beliefs and infant diet and appetite. The data were analyzed by Spearman correlations. Statistically significant correlations were identified between maternal feeding practices (e.g., using food to calm, concern about infant weight) and infant satiety, appetite, food responsiveness, slow eating, and kilocalories consumed. Infant weight-for-length was related to maternal concern about infant underweight and mother-infant social interaction during feeding. These findings highlight the importance of the mother-infant feeding relationship and how these associations may influence responsive feeding practices and infant weight-related outcomes.

Differences between childhood- and adulthood-onset eosinophilic esophagitis: An analysis from the EoE connect registry.

Direct comparisons of childhood- and adulthood-onset eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) are scarce. To compare disease characteristics, endoscopic and histological features, allergic concomitances and therapeutic choices across ages. Cross-sectional analysis of the EoE CONNECT registry. The adulthood-onset cohort (those diagnosed at ≥18y) comprised 1044 patients and the childhood-onset cohort (patients diagnosed at <18 y), 254. Vomiting, nausea, chest and abdominal pain, weight loss, slow eating and food aversion were significantly more frequent in children; dysphagia, food bolus impaction and heartburn predominated in adults. A family history of EoE was present in 16% of pediatric and 8.2% of adult patients (p<0.001). Concomitant atopic diseases did not vary across ages. Median±IQR diagnostic delay (years) from symptom onset was higher in adults (2.7±6.1) than in children (1±2.1; p<0.001). Esophageal strictures and rings predominated in adults (p<0.001), who underwent esophageal dilation more commonly (p=0.011). Inflammatory EoE phenotypes were more common in children (p=0.001), who also presented higher eosinophil counts in biopsies (p=0.015) and EREFS scores (p=0.017). Despite PPI predominating as initial therapy in all cohorts, dietary therapy and swallowed topical corticosteroids were more frequently prescribed in children (p<0.001). Childhood-onset EoE has differential characteristics compared with adulthood-onset, but similar response to treatment.

Associations of COVID-19 Lockdowns on Eating Behaviors and Body Mass Index in Patients with a History of Bariatric Surgery: a Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Few studies have explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the eating behaviors, dietary quality, and changes in weight of postoperative bariatric surgery patients. A cross-sectional survey on eating behaviors and attitudes toward food was emailed or given to patients who had bariatric surgery before March 2020. Patient charts were reviewed for weight measures. Seventy-five (71.43%) patients experienced weight recurrence with an average increase in body mass index (BMI) of 2.83kg/m2 (SD: 2.19). The majority of patients reported no symptoms of binge eating (n = 81, 77.14%) with 16 (15.24%) qualifying for loss of control eating (LOCE). LOCE was significantly associated with grazing behavior (p = 0.04), emotional over-eating (p = 0.001), and food responsiveness (p = 0.002). LOCE was negatively associated with dietary quality (p = 0.0009) and satiety responsiveness (p = 0.01). Grazing behavior was significantly associated with emotional over-eating (p < 0.0001) and food responsiveness (p < 0.0001) as well as negatively associated with dietary quality (p < 0.0001). Slow eating was negatively associated with grazing (p = 0.01), emotional over-eating (p = 0.003), and food responsiveness (p < 0.0001). When included in a regression model controlling for age and sex, emotional over-eating was a significant predictor of weight recurrence (β = 0.25; p = 0.04). Our results suggest that maladaptive eating behaviors contributed to LOCE and poor dietary quality during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, slow eating may be protective against grazing, emotional over-eating, and food responsiveness.

DL-methionyl-DL-methionine as an efficient methionine source for promoting zootechnical performance and methionine-related pathways in the whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei).

Methionine (MET) supplementation is a current strategy to achieve shrimp requirement. Notwithstanding, the efficiency of the precisely formulated feeds can be diminished since shrimps are slow eaters and masticate feed externally that results in nutrient leaching. In this regard, a methionine dipeptide (DL-methionyl DL-methionine) benefits the feed industry by reducing MET water solubility while increasing its bioavailability. Therefore, the effects of feeding whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) with increasing levels of methionine dipeptide were evaluated on zootechnical performance and methionine-, immune- and antioxidant-related pathways. A 74 d growth trial was conducted by feeding a control diet and four diets supplemented with AQUAVI® Met-Met at 0·08, 0·12, 0·24 and 0·32% of DM. Diet digestibility, body amino acids (AA) composition and nitrogen metabolites, metabolic enzymes, oxidative status and gene expression were evaluated. It can be concluded that graded dietary increase of methionine dipeptide up to 0·24 % for 74 d translated in significant gains on the growth performance, feed efficiency, nutrient and nitrogen gain and shrimp survival. Moreover, it was showed that Met-Met dietary spare leads to an improvement of free-AA pool and nitrogen metabolites concentration and reduces the signs of oxidative stress. Finally, in a closer look to the MET-related pathways passive to be altered by Met-Met spare, a clear modulation of the described antioxidant and cell proliferation routes was detected.

Differences in habitual eating speed lead to small differences in dynamic sensory perception of composite foods.

Previous studies demonstrated that variability in oral processing behaviors impacts bolus properties and consequently texture and flavor perception. However, most studies followed a prescribed mastication protocol during the products' sensory evaluations. A better understanding of how variability in habitual eating behavior impacts sensory perception of foods is needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of habitual eating speed (slow vs. fast eaters) on dynamic sensory perception of composite foods. Habitual oral processing behavior of different composite foods was quantified in 105 participants. Participants were divided in fast (n=53) and slow (n=52) eaters using a median split. Three formulations of strawberry jams varying in viscosity and sugar content (High Sugar/Low Pectin [Control], High Sugar/High Pectin, Low Sugar/Low Pectin) were used. Composite foods were prepared by spreading jams on breads. Dynamics of dominant sensory attributes of strawberry jams presented with and without breads were evaluated using Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS). Dynamic sensory perception of jams and jam-bread combinations differed only slightly for short periods of time between habitual slow and fast eaters. The addition of breads to jams reduced especially the ability of the fast eaters to discriminate between jams differing in formulation. Slow eaters discriminated between different formulations of jams better than fast eaters, regardless of whether jams were presented alone or in combination with breads. We conclude that differences in habitual eating speed between consumers lead to small differences in dynamic sensory perception and discrimination ability of composite foods.

Eating pace instruction is effective in slowing eating rate in women with overweight and obesity

Slow eating is associated with lower body mass index (BMI), enhanced satiety, and reduced food intake in laboratory settings. This study developed and tested a 5-week slow-eating intervention, delivered either through individual or small group weekly meetings, in women with overweight and obesity. Women (n = 65; 20.5 ± 3.6 years; BMI 31.3 ± 2.7 kg/m2) were assigned to experimental or parallel non-treatment control. Main outcomes, measured pre- and post-intervention, included eating rate, meal duration, and energy intake during a standardized meal served on a universal eating monitor. Exploratory outcomes included Weight Related Eating Questionnaire (WREQ), Intuitive Eating Scale (IES), and Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ) scores. All women in the experimental group underwent the same slow-eating intervention, but half had individual sessions while the other half had small group sessions. No differences were seen for any outcomes between session modalities, so experimental data were pooled (n = 25) and compared to control data (n = 25). Time-by-group interactions showed reduced eating rate (F(1,48df) = 13.04, η2 = 0.214, p = .001) and increased meal duration (F(1,48df) = 7.949, η2 = 0.142, p = .007) in the experimental group compared to the control group but change in energy intake was not significant (F(1,48df) = 3.298, η2 = 0.064, p = .076). Experimental within-group changes for WREQ subscale scores External Cues (t(23) = 3.779, p = .001) and Emotional Eating (t(23) = 2.282, p = .032) decreased over time, along with increased total and summary IES (t(23) = 2.6330, p = .015) and MEQ (t(23) = 2.663, p = .014) scores. Promising findings of reduced eating rate, increased meal duration, and improved WREQ, IES, and MEQ scores should be followed up in larger more diverse samples for longer durations.

Stop Eating Fast, Keep Staying Last

This article addresses an important abnormal eating behavior or ‘speedy eating’ that can predispose human body to diabesity (diabetes and obesity) development and its associated complexities in the stressful modern times. Although, more research is required to enlighten the various clinical and psychological aspects of this phenomenon, public health programs must take new initiatives in educating people of different ages to manage stresses and slow down eating to help optimize endocrinology and metabolism and minimize diabesity risks. Efforts must be focused on edificating people how to overcome and manage their stresses first before ‘slow eating’ could be prioritized and practiced as a powerful lifestyle strategy. Meanwhile, stop eating fast, keep staying last!

A Conceptual Model for Mobile Health-enabled Slow Eating Strategies

Ingestive behaviors (IBs) (eg, bites, chews, oral processing, swallows, pauses) have meaningful roles in enhancing satiety, promoting fullness, and decreasing food consumption, and thus may be an underused strategy for obesity prevention and treatment. Limited IB monitoring research has been conducted because of a lack of accurate automated measurement capabilities outside laboratory settings. Self-report methods are used, but they have questionable validity and reliability. This paper aimed to present a conceptual model in which IB, specifically slow eating, supported by technological advancements, contributes to controlling hedonic and homeostatic processes, providing an opportunity to reduce energy intake, and improve health outcomes.

Correlation of Screen Time With Eating Behavior Among School-Going Children Aged 8 to 10 Years in East Delhi, India

Background and aim: Excessive screen time (ST) negatively impacts physical activity and eating behavior among children &lt;5 years. There is a dearth of data on older Indian children; hence, the present study aimed to assess the effect of ST on eating behavior among older children. Methods: The present cross-sectional study purposively recruited 100 school-going children. E-questionnaire was prepared to gather information regarding the demographic profile and self-reported weight and height. For the assessment of ST, the SCREENS questionnaire was used. Eating behavior was assessed using the Children Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and for physical activity, the PAQ-C was used. The nutrition status of children was assessed using body mass index (BMI) for age cut-offs. Results: The results revealed that 52% of the children were using screens for &gt; 4 hours per day excluding school-related activities and online classes. ST of children was directly proportional to the parent’s ST ( P &lt; .05). There was a negative correlation between ST and the physical activity of children ( P &lt; .01). A positive correlation was observed between ST and emotional overeating, desire to drink, slow eating, satiety responsiveness, food fussiness, and emotional undereating ( P &lt; .01). BMI was positively associated with ST and negatively associated with physical activity, though the results were not significant. Satiety responsiveness (a food-avoiding subscale) was negatively associated with BMI ( P &lt; .05). Conclusion: The present study concludes that excessive ST among 8 to 10 years old school-going children has been associated with physical inactivity and poor eating behavior which could lead to an increased risk of being overweight and obese.

Impact of Eating Speed on Muscle Mass in Older Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Study of KAMOGAWA-DM Cohort.

Background and AimsMaintenance of muscle mass is important for sarcopenia prevention. However, the effect of eating speed, especially fast, normal, or slow speed, on muscle mass changes remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the effect of eating speed on muscle mass changes in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).MethodsThis study included 284 patients with T2DM. Based on a self–reported questionnaire, participants were classified into three groups: fast–, normal–, and slow–speed eating. Muscle mass was assessed using a multifrequency impedance body composition analyzer, and skeletal muscle mass (SMI) decrease (kg/m2/year) was defined as [baseline SMI (kg/m2)–follow–up SMI (kg/m2)] ÷ follow–up duration (year). The rate of SMI decrease (%) was defined as [SMI decrease (kg/m2/year) ÷ baseline SMI (kg/m2)] × 100.ResultsThe proportions of patients with fast–, normal–, and slow–speed eating were, respectively, 50.5%, 42.9%, and 6.6% among those aged <65 years and 40.4%, 38.3%, and 21.3% among those aged ≥65 years. In patients aged ≥65 years, the rate of SMI decrease in the normal (0.85 [95% confidence interval, CI: −0.66 to 2.35]) and slow (0.93 [95% CI −0.61 to 2.46]) speed eating groups was higher than that in the fast speed eating group (−1.08 [95% CI −2.52 to 0.36]). On the contrary, there was no difference in the rate of SMI decrease among the groups in patients aged <65 years. Compared with slow speed eating, the adjusted odds ratios of incident muscle loss [defined as rate of SMI decrease (%) ≥0.5%] due to fast– and normal–speed eating were 0.42 (95% CI 0.18 to 0.98) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.36 to 2.03), respectively.ConclusionSlow–speed eating is associated with a higher risk of muscle mass loss in older patients with T2DM.

The Feeding Behaviour Habits of Growing-Finishing Pigs and Its Effects on Growth Performance and Carcass Quality: A Review.

Based on the available data of feeding behaviour habits (FBHs), this work aimed to discuss which type of pig, according to its FBHs, performs better and is more efficient. As pigs grow, average daily feed intake, meal size, and feeding rate increase, whereas small variations or even decreases in time spent eating and daily feeder visits have been reported. Moreover, the sex, breed, space allowance, feeder design, feed form, diet composition, and environmental conditions modify FBHs. On the other hand, the literature indicates the existence of four types of pigs: pigs that eat their daily feed intake in many short meals (nibblers) or in few large meals (meal eaters) combined with eating fast (faster eaters) or slow (slow eaters). The available scientific literature about ad libitum fed pigs suggests that pigs eating faster with bigger meals eat more, gain more weight, and are fatter than pigs eating less, slower, and with smaller meals. However, the feeding rate and the meal size do not influence feed efficiency. In conclusion, studies comparing growing-finishing pigs with similar feed intake, but different feeding rate and meal size are needed to better understand the influence of FBHs on feed efficiency.

158. Case Series: Eosinophilic Esophagitis Presenting as an Eating or Feeding Disorder

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a multifactorial allergic disease associated with chronic inflammation of the upper gastrointestinal tract. A variety of genetic, epigenetic, dietary, and environmental factors have been implicated in the pathophysiology of EoE, though the etiology is still not fully understood. Symptoms of EoE typically reflect esophageal dysmotility, and can be relatively nonspecific in children of all ages. While younger children may present with abdominal pain, vomiting, coughing, regurgitation, poor weight gain or food refusal, older children and adolescents more commonly complain of dysphagia, dyspepsia, choking on foods (food impaction), slow eating, and weight loss.