In 2007, the US Surgeon General called for a systematic approach that addresses alcohol problems within a developmental perspective [77]. During childhood, children undergo a considerable amount of change and ultimately achieve some stability in adapting to their environment, including the means by which they learn and solve problems, communicate, regulate emotions, respond to stress and relate to others. The finding that PDEP children were more likely to report sleep problems, which has been shown in a recent prospective study to predict the onset of alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use among adolescents [78], calls for longitudinal and experimental research to determine whether the heightened sweet preference and the use of sweet foods to alleviate depression are markers for developing alcohol-related problems or responses that are protective (see also [79]).
