Overeating: Kids will snack even when not hungry, says study

Pressured to eat when they are young, children learn the rewarding effects of food and eat even when they don't feel hungry. - Filepic

Even in the absence of hunger, children as young as three won't refuse a calorie-laden snack, according to a new study from Queensland University of Technology.

"Of the 37 children who took part in the study, all children displayed eating in the absence of hunger, even though more than 80 per cent reported being full or very full just 15 minutes earlier," says nutrition researcher Holly Harris, from QUT's Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation.