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Children and picky eating II

September 2nd, 2005

Introduce new foods as soon as your child can handle them. You will have more success before 18 months, but even then it is not easy. Even in the best of circumstances it may take 10 to 15 attempts before a child is willing to eat, or even try, new foods. Offer them and let the child decide what to do with them. If you push too hard, or make a big deal out of a new food, you may inadvertantly create a power struggle. It helps if you yourself model enjoyment of the new foods. If your child sees that beets, for example, are an adult food, s/he may be curious about them and willing to taste. Don’t expect instant acceptance however, especially of stronger flavored items.

And speaking of foods with strong flavors, if you suspect your child may be a supertaster, accept that s/he will avoid certain items, probably for years and maybe forever, and move on. It is possible to be well nourished eating only bland food with little or no seasoning. Provide a selection of mild foods, and notice if your child is more willing to try them. If so, you may be living with a supertaster. It’s another human characteristic like red hair or brown eyes. Don’t fight it. Enjoy your child, idiosyncracies and all.

Worried that your child is not eating enough? Picky eating does not automatically lead to nutritional deficiencies and most picky eaters do consume about 1,000 calories a day, which is the recommended intake for toddlers. However, they often have too little variety in their diets. They won’t starve to death, but the sooner they begin to eat more healthfully, the better. In some cases food restriction can lead to permanently stunted growth.

Many picky eaters choose high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and little else. For example, their favorite vegetable is often french fried potatoes, overcomsumption of which can contribute to overweight and obesity.

Cheese, peanut butter, and ice cream are other favorite foods that can be part of a healthy, balanced meal plan, but they should not be the entire meal plan.

Some parents find incentives useful. For example, “You can have dessert if you eat your green beans.” Others find that bribes do not work. The child is happier avoiding the “icky” food than eating the desired one. Parents can experiment with incentives. If they work, custom tailor them to your child’s preferences. If they don’t work, give up on them.

Above all, refuse to engage in a power struggle. There is no way you can win, and continued attempts will only cement your child’s determination not to eat what you want him/her to eat. If you are concerned about life and health, talk to the child’s pediatrician. Since there are a few relatively rare psychological disorders that can manifest in food refusal, ask for a referral to a child psychologist or child psychiatrist.

* Sources

1. AAP 2004 National Conference & Exhibition: Session F170. Presented Oct. 9, 2004
2. Annals of the New York Academy of Science (Bartoshuk L. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1998;30:793-796)
3. Journal of the American Dietetic Association (Duffy VB, Batoshuk L. J ) Am Dietetic Assoc. 2000;100:547-555)

Entry Filed under: eating disorders

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