Study suggests picky eating isn’t parents’ fault
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A new study in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry indicates that picky eating is primarily influenced by genetics rather than environmental factors. The researchers suggest that picky eating habits in children are more strongly influenced by genetics and temperament than by parenting style or mealtime strategies. This means that while parents may feel pressure to change their child’s eating habits, much of the behavior may be beyond their control, with natural tendencies playing a larger role than previously thought.
Source
Nas, Z., Herle, M., Kininmonth, A. R., Smith, A. D., Bryant-Waugh, R., Fildes, A., & Llewellyn, C. H. (2024). Nature and nurture in fussy eating from toddlerhood to early adolescence: findings from the Gemini twin cohort. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 10.1111/jcpp.14053. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.14053
Additional Reading
https://www.foodandwine.com/picky-eaters-genetics-study-8729520
https://www.newsweek.com/kid-picky-eater-mostly-genetic-1956424