However, a study indicates that fussy eating habits are largely genetic, persisting from toddlerhood into early adolescence.
The study, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and financed by MQ Mental Health Research, explored survey data from parents with either identical or non-identical twins aged between 16 months and 13 years.
The research, led by experts from UCL, King’s College London, and the University of Leeds, revealed that food fussiness peaks around age seven and then slightly declines.
The conclusions showed that genetic factors explained 60 percent of the variation in fussy eating at 16 months.
This figure rises to 74 percent from age three to 13.
The study also found a notable genetic influence, as non-identical twin pairs were significantly less alike in their picky eating habits than identical twins.
Dr. Zeynep Nas, the study’s lead author from UCL, stated: “Food fussiness is common among children and can be a major source of anxiety for parents and caregivers, who often blame themselves for this behavior or are blamed by others.
“We hope our finding that fussy eating is largely innate may help to alleviate parental blame. This behavior is not a result of parenting.
“Our study also shows that fussy eating is not necessarily just a ‘phase’, but may follow a persistent trajectory.”
Dr. Clare Llewellyn, a senior author from UCL, added: “While genetic factors are the predominant influence for food fussiness, environment also plays a supporting role.
“Shared environmental factors, such as sitting down together as a family to eat meals, may only be significant in toddlerhood. This suggests that interventions to help children eat a wider range of foods, such as repeatedly exposing children to the same foods regularly and offering a variety of fruits and vegetables, may be most effective in the very early years.”
Dr. Alison Fildes from the University of Leeds commented: “Although fussy eating has a strong genetic component and can extend beyond early childhood, this doesn’t mean it is fixed.”
Dr. Llewellyn emphasized the importance for parents to continue encouraging their children to try a diverse range of foods.