Helping Children Who Are Picky Eaters

Providing young children with child-centered nutrition phrases along with repeated food exposure improved consumption of unpopular foods.

Parents often are frustrated about what to do with young children who are picky eaters and resist trying new foods. In a within-subject study at two preschools, researchers compared two interventions: repeated exposure (RE) to commonly unpopular foods (tomatoes, bell peppers, quinoa, and lentils) and repeated exposure with the addition of child-centered nutrition phrases (CCNP+RE), such as “this food is yummy,” “this food will help you run fast,” and “this food will help you jump high.”

A convenience sample of 87 predominantly white children ages 3 to 6 years were enrolled. Each week for 6 weeks, each child received the RE intervention 1 day per week and the CCNP+RE intervention another day, in random order. Effects of each intervention on t…

Reviewing Author

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

Helping Children Who Are Picky Eaters

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Reviewing Author