Children and chocolate craving - Innocent longing or guilty pleasure

This paper reviews recent research on chocolate craving among children. The authors describe the multidimensional ambivalence model of chocolate craving which has been validated using large samples of both children and adults. Chocolate craving involves three components (approach, avoidance, guilt), which differentially predict future chocolate consumption and disordered eating patterns. Children, in particular girls, can hold ambivalent inclinations toward chocolate, and chocolate-related guilt may be an early indicator of emerging unhealthy attitudes and behaviours toward food and dieting during childhood.