Parents believe that picky eating among toddlers is normal, dismissing it as just a fleeting stage that children go through.
And they’re right. Picky eating is usually a phase, like a rite of passage, for many growing boys and girls. So, when does being finicky with food become detrimental to a child’s development?
According to a study by the National Nutrition Council, 53 percent of Filipino mothers consider their children as picky eaters. Picky eaters over time may become deficient of certain “at-risk nutrients” such as zinc, iron, iodine, vitamin A and vitamin D.
Lack of these nutrients puts children at risk of developing anemia, recurrent infections, and reduced immunity. They may also develop health-related adulthood diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
A child’s refusal to eat certain foods usually has less to do with the food itself. It is important, therefore, for parents to know the reasons behind fussy-eating behavior so that proper intervention can be made right away.
“I’m seeing a lot more children under 8 (years old) with diabetes and hypertension,” said Kate Di Prima, Brisbane dietitian and spokesperson of the Dietitians Association of Australia. “The prevalence of anemia at 40 percent is still high even if it has been reducing. Parents must determine the type of picky eaters so they can provide a plan, strategy, and time frame.”
Di Prima, who was guest speaker recently at the 60th annual convention of the Nutritionist-Dietitians’ Association of the Philippines at Manila Hotel, said the “Diet Shift,” the period when a child’s appetite shifts from healthy food to unhealthy, begins with telltale signs. This normally starts between 12 months to 3 years old.
A child is a picky eater if, for instance, he/she refuses to eat without the TV on; chooses to eat only one food at a time; eats limited amounts of food and has a preference for a type of food that forces parents to prepare a separate meal; or is unwilling to try new foods.
Correcting picky-eating behavior will need time and loads of patience. Children, for example, may not like to eat their veggies, but forcing them to eat the required nine servings of vegetable a day in one sitting may do more harm than good.
“The size of an adult stomach is that of a grapefruit; a child’s, a clenched fist. When we put these enormous meals in front of the children and expect them to eat it all, they’re not going to because they fill up very, very quickly,” Di Prima said.
6 types
There are six types of picky eaters: the Food Jags, when a child eats only one food at a time; Food Strikes, when a child refuses to eat what is served; TV Habit, when a child won’t eat without the TV on; Complainer, when a child constantly whines and complains about the food; Great White Diet, when a child insists eating only “white” food like rice, pasta, white bread; Fear of New Food, when a child refuses to try anything new.
And then there’s also the Super Taster, one who tastes food a little stronger than everyone else since they have more taste buds per area in their tongue.
These are the children who stay away from citrus, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage. Consuming these foods give them pain.
Di Prima said some Great White Diet eaters may actually be Super Tasters.
“For some people, they use this to their advantage and grow up as chefs, food connoisseurs or sommeliers,” she said. “But some may grow up thinking they have a crippling condition.”
Di Prima advises a household with a picky eater to remove processed fruit juice, processed food and soda in the pantry. Parents must serve only water or milk; they should be mindful of mealtimes, including snacks, so they can work on building the nutritional gaps.
If snack time is close to dinner, for instance, a child will most certainly lose appetite when “real” food is served. This loss of appetite is not because of the kind of food served at dinner, but due to the fact that the child is still quite full from the snacks just consumed.
Distribute veggies over three meals. Don’t stack them over in one meal. Even adults have a hard time meeting the required daily vegetables consumption. Don’t expect a small child to do this so easily.
After 12 months, parents must remove the bottle and teach their child to drink from a cup. The food repertoire must now include some tiny chewable food. This will teach the child how to chew and appreciate small textures.
It is also at this age (12 months) when the family must eat the same meal all the time—no exemptions, no special privileges unless a member has a medical condition that requires him/her to eat a different set of food.
No to junk food
Parents should avoid stocking up on non-nutritious food such as chips, salty snacks, chocolates and sodas. These may corrupt a child’s taste buds, Di Prima said. Instead, go for healthy snacks.
Children should be taught to try new food. This is a tough one, Di Prima said, but doable. A child must be served his/her favorite food, for instance, with one new food in the middle. Of course, the child may demand old favorites.
Let them explore. Make them touch the food, feel it with their hands, and bring it up to their lips to smell and touch it with their lips.
“There is a strong correlation between taste and smell,” said Di Prima. “Both are important to enhance a child’s enjoyment of the food. If you pinch your nose and nibble on a chocolate, all you’ll taste is the sugar. But if you eat chocolate without pinching your nose, there’s this wonderful burst of flavors playing inside your mouth.”
Get the children involved in cooking. Cook in front of them, she said, and allow them to get to know the food they’re not familiar with.
Don’t offer dessert as a reward for eating, say, vegetables. Di Prima said this sends the wrong message. If they want cake, let them eat cake. Serve it as part of a meal instead of at the end.
Research confirms that a child’s food choices are established during their first four years, she said. A child’s physical and cognitive development will depend on what they eat. It is critical that parents develop good eating habits around this time, she added.
“In my 24 years in this field,” said De Prima, “I am still astounded by the limited knowledge in nutrition of many parents that come and see me. Some of them even have children who have a hard time chewing because they’ve been fed blended food all these years.”
She added parents must be knowledgeable about diet supplements to boost children’s immunity and nutrition. She warned that an undernourished child, while not necessarily underweight, may experience problems in growth development and social and psychological behavior.