Most parents are troubled by their child’s fussy eating and food choices, refusal to eat, and the tantrums that come with it. This is a common behavior in early childhood as children test their taste buds and independence. And introduction of food may be overwhelming for some children.
Is Your Child A Fussy Eater?
Researchers found that fussiness over food changed little from 16 months to 13 years old, with a minor peak in pickiness at seven years of age, followed by a slight decline. Scientists have attributed this to genetics. DNA is the dominant factor – the driver behind fussy eating.
Dr Zeynep Nas, a behavioral geneticist at UCL, highlighted that food fussiness is not something that arises from parenting. She said it comes down to the genetic differences. Other factors come from the environment they live in, including sitting down to eat as a family, and the kinds of food consumed by the people around.
Nas and other researchers analyzed data from the UK Gemini study. It looked into 2,400 sets of twins, their genetics and environment, as well as childhood growth. Parents had filled out questionnaires about their children’s eating habits at 16 months, three, five, seven, and 13 years of age.
As part of the study, researchers compared the eating habits of identical twins and non-identical twins; it should be noted that identical twins share 100 percent of their twins, while non-identical twins share only half. The researchers established that fussy eating habits were more similar among identical twins. This spotlighted the fact that genetics played a huge role – differences in pickiness.
Also Read: Israel Lays Siege On Lebanon, Mobile Devices Explode For Second Consecutive Day, US Looks On
The study showed that the kinds of food consumed at home were important drivers of pickiness when they were toddlers, and from seven to 13 years of age individual experiences, including having different friends, showed 25 percent of the variation in picky eating habits. Researchers believe that offering more variety around the toddler stage might be most effective in tackling food fussiness.
Dr Alison Fildes, co-author of the study at the University of Leeds, said parents can encourage their children to eat a variety of foods throughout childhood and into adolescence. She added that peers and friends might become an important influence on children’s diets.
