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Research Article: Latent profile analysis of dietary behavior in pediatric patients with short stature: a single-center study in China

Date Published: 2026-09-18

Abstract:
To identify potential subtypes of dietary behavior in pediatric patients with short stature using latent profile analysis (LPA) and to explore the factors associated with each latent profile. A convenience sample of 308 short-statured pediatric patients was recruited from the outpatient department of Sichuan University of West China Second Hospital from July 2025 to March 2026. Participants completed questionnaires, including a general information questionnaire, the Children’s Dietary Behavior Questionnaire and the Children’s Depression Inventory. LPA was used to identify the optimal number of subgroups (profiles), and binary logistic regression analysis was used to explore variables associated with profile membership. A total of 308 valid questionnaires were collected, yielding an effective response rate of 94.77%. This study employed LPA and identified two distinct eating patterns among pediatric patients with short stature: healthy-adaptive eating (47.73%, n =?147) and emotion-inhibited eating (52.27%, n =?161). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that age (OR?=?0.728, p <?0.001), Height SDS (OR?=?0.738, p =?0.030), and lack of pleasure (OR?=?1.239, p <?0.001) were independent influencing factors of emotion-inhibited eating. This study revealed two distinct subtypes of dietary behaviors among pediatric patients with short stature. A lack of pleasure was an independent risk factor for emotion-inhibited eating. Healthcare professionals should pay particular attention to children’s emotional states and develop targeted interventions to address maladaptive eating patterns in this population.

Introduction:
Short stature is a common pediatric endocrinological disorder in which the height is 2 standard deviations below the mean for age, sex, and ethnicity, without an identifiable cause ( 1 ). According to the literature, the prevalence of short stature among pediatric patients worldwide varies by region and population characteristics, reaching as high as 10.2% in developing countries ( 2 ). In China, approximately 3.2% of children are affected by short stature. The prevalence rate is approximately 4.7% in rural areas,…

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