Associations Between Dietary Patterns and Mental Health Symptoms in Early Childhood: Findings From the CHILD Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the earliest developmental stage at which the association between unhealthy dietary patterns and depressive symptoms emerges, given that this relationship is well-documented in adolescents and adults but remains understudied in young children. METHODS: Children (N = 2360; mean age of 5.1[SD = 0.2] years; 48% female) enrolled in the CHILD birth cohort study were included. Parent-reported data on demographics, dietary …