Picky eating in children: A common behavioral eating disorder

Introduction: Picky eating as a common stage of child development, is an unwillingness to eat familiar and unfamiliar foods that limit the diversity of diet followed by neophobia and stress during eating that impede a healthy diet. This behavioral eating disorder is influenced by genetics and the environment. Methods: Search and review articles published between 2015 and 2019 in PubMed and Google Scholar databases Results: The highest prevalence of picky eating has been reported at age three. In fact, the child is drawn to an unhealthy diet following the formation of a sense of individuality and selectivity, the effect of peers, the attraction to salt and sweetness, and ultimately the easy availability of fat and sugar sources according to the family s economic circumstances. Children, unlike adults, seem to care more about texture so they associate taste with color for food choices. For example, they find orange vegetables sweeter. Exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months and appropriate initiation of complementary feeding have been mentioned as protective factors against this complication. Health problems due to picky eating include increased risk of constipation, diabetes, anemia, growth disorders, obesity and micronutrient deficiency such as iron, zinc, carotene and vitamin E. Various studies have shown strategies such as increasing the number of meals and reducing their volume, not allowing child to drink too much especially between meals, making smaller portions of food that is rejected by the child, and exposing that food at least ten times are effective in controlling this eating disorder. Conclusion: children picky eating management is a potential strategy to improve nutrition and prevent weight loss before adolescence and overweight in adulthood. The role of family is vital, therefore, family counseling and support is one of the main goals of reducing picky eating behavior rates.

Keywords:

Picky eating , Neophobia , Children , Eating behavior , Child nutrition