Parental Nighttime Food Delivery Habits and Early Childhood Functional Abdominal Pain Patterns in Urban Families

Abstract

Background: Functional abdominal pain in early childhood is a common disorder of gut–brain interaction influenced by dietary, sleep, psychosocial, and household routine factors. In urban families, app-based food delivery has changed evening meal patterns and may contribute to delayed eating, irregular sleep routines, and gastrointestinal discomfort in children. Objective: To examine the association between parental nighttime food delivery habits and functional abdominal pain patterns among children aged 3–8 years in urban households. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted from January to April 2026 in the Islamabad-Rawalpindi urban region. Eighty-four parent–child pairs were recruited through pediatric outpatient clinics, private child health centers, and community parenting groups. Nighttime food delivery frequency, meal timing consistency, screen exposure during meals, abdominal pain scores, and sleep disturbance were assessed using a structured parent-reported questionnaire. Data were analyzed using independent-samples t-test, Pearson correlation, and one-way ANOVA. Results: Frequent nighttime food ordering was reported in 48 households (57.1%). Children exposed to frequent nighttime ordering had higher abdominal pain scores than those with lower exposure (4.9 ± 1.3 vs. 2.6 ± 1.1; mean difference 2.3, 95% CI: 1.78–2.82; p < 0.001). Nighttime delivery frequency showed a strong positive association with abdominal pain severity (r = 0.61, p < 0.001), while meal timing inconsistency correlated with sleep disturbance (r = 0.44, p = 0.003). Conclusion: Frequent nighttime food delivery was significantly associated with greater functional abdominal pain burden and sleep disturbance in young children, suggesting the need to assess household meal timing and bedtime routines during pediatric counseling.