Is your child a picky eater? Maybe it's in the genes!

Twins, also in the excitement!

The researchers of the study compared the eating habits of identical and fraternal twins aged 16 months to 13 years. They found that Food picky remains relatively stable throughout childhood, with a slight peak at around age seven before declining slightly. But perhaps the most surprising result is the strong genetic component: Genes accounted for about 60% of fear of food intolerance at 16 months of age. This proportion rose to 74% by the age of three.

This means that during picky eating might seem like a behavior that can be shaped by Upbringingmuch of it could be inherited. Identical twins, who share essentially 100% of their genes, were much more similar in their eating habits than fraternal twins, who share only 50% of their genes. The difference in pickiness between identical and fraternal twins underscores the large role that genetics plays.

What about education?

Although genes dominated, the study also found that environment still plays a role, especially during infancy. For example, the shared family environment – such as eating together – influenced children's eating habits more in the early years. However, as children get older, the influence of the shared home environment fades and individual experiences such as friendships or the school environment begin to shape them. Food preferences.
Between the ages of seven and 13, environmental factors that are unique to each child (such as peer influence) become more important, accounting for about 25% of the variation in pickiness. So you can't completely control how picky your child will be, but the environment you create in the early years can still make a difference.

So where do the parents fit in?

Picky eating can cause a lot of anxiety for parents and many blame themselves for their children's eating habits. Hopefully this study can provide some relief and show that their children's eating habits are not necessarily due to their parenting skills.

But that doesn’t mean parents are powerless! Lead author Professor Clare Llewellyn suggests Early interventionssuch as introducing young children to different foods on a regular basis can help reduce fussiness. Repeated exposure to the same foods, especially fruits and vegetables, can increase the likelihood that children will accept them, especially during the toddler years when shared family meals have a greater impact.

And while eating without inhibition tends to decrease over childhood, it is not set in stone. Dr. Alison Fildes stresses that parents can continue to encourage their children to eat a wide variety of foods as they get older, although peers and external influences may become stronger drivers of eating behavior during adolescence.

The researchers point out that the study had some limitations, such as the fact that most participants came from white British households with higher socioeconomic backgrounds. Therefore, future research needs to examine picky eating in different cultural and socioeconomic contexts where dietary traditions and access to food can vary considerably.

Overall, the findings suggest that while genetics play a large role in picky eating, there are ways to influence children's eating habits, especially in the early years. While you may not be able to eliminate picky eating entirely, understanding its genetic roots can help you manage it with a little more patience and less guilt.

The results of this research were published in Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and can be accessed here.