Fussy eating may be in the genes

Could you be to blame for your fussy eater?

New research suggests that fussy eating may be in the genes – so if your kids won’t eat their greens, is it because they’re copying you?

 

Food fear…

Getting your children to try new foods may not be as simple as not letting them leave the table until they’ve at least tasted it. A new study suggests that neophobia – fear of new foods – is actually inherited, just as your child might inherit your sweet tooth or your eye color. It may be related to personality as well as sensitivity to bitter or sweet tastes – if his parents are shy, a child may be less likely to be daring when it comes to new things, including food. Conversely, thrill-seeking parents are likely to have a child who’s willing to try just about anything.

Don’t give up on new tastes

If you think neophobia might be causing your child’s fussiness, don’t give up – other factors, such as seeing his parents set a good example by eating healthfully themselves, are still important. And after all, you need to give him the opportunity to try new tastes in order to find out if he does like them. But bear in mind that while the old cliché about serving up new foods 10 times before your child will eat them does still tend to hold true, some kids just won’t cave that easily! It’s vital that you keep trying though, since neophobia is linked with low intake of the fruit, vegetables and protein your child needs to grow and develop properly.

Inbuilt safety feature…

Something else to consider while your child is rejecting that broccoli for the nth time: some experts believe food fussiness is perfectly normal stage of development that has one huge advantage – as a built-in safety mechanism that helps to prevent your child from sampling ‘food’ that might be dangerous, such as potentially poisonous berries and mushrooms. It makes sense: food fussiness tends to be at its worse at around 2 years, when your adventurous toddler is likely to be into everything!

Check out our fussy eater tips and find out how to raise a good eater.

 

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