Photo by Tyson
A recent study reveals that picky eating in children is largely influenced by genetics rather than parenting, providing reassurance to many frustrated parents. Conducted by researchers from University College London, King’s College London, and the University of Leeds, the study analyzed over 2,000 pairs of identical and fraternal twins born in the UK in 2007. The findings suggest that a child’s food preferences are predominantly hereditary, with environmental factors playing a more significant role during their early years.
Zeynep Nas, another lead author from UCL, emphasized the implications of these findings: “We hope our finding that fussy eating is largely innate may help to alleviate parental blame. This behavior is not a result of parenting”. The study also noted that food selectivity peaks around age seven but often declines as children enter their teenage years.
Abigail Pickard, a developmental child psychology researcher at Aston University who was not involved in the study, commented on the prevalence of picky eating among children saying it is “quite common”. Around 16% of British children aged 3 to 5 displayed picky eating behaviors, she noted in one of her recent studies, attributing these tendencies to various factors including parental practices and cultural background. She advised parents to create a calm mealtime environment and avoid making food a battleground.
The findings were published on September 19 in the Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, contributing valuable insights into understanding picky eating as a genetic trait rather than solely a result of parenting practices.
Sources:
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/20/health/picky-eating-genetic-study-intl-scli-wellness/index.html
[2] https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/14/health/fussy-eaters/index.html
[3] https://www.aol.com/kid-picky-eater-probably-not-150625592.html
[4] https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-09-20/fussy-eater-it-might-be-in-your-kids-genes
[5] https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/11/health/veggie-hating-gene-wellness/index.html
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