Got a fussy eater at home? Some tips that help and habits that make matters worse

From being repulsed at the sight of vegetables to never eating without a screen, young children can be quite fussy at mealtimes. If you’re a parent or caregiver to a child, you must be aware of the challenges of feeding a picky eater.

Offering a helping hand to distressed parents, researchers have reviewed data from 80 studies to find out what factors contribute to a child's likelihood of being a fussy eater.

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Published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, the findings show that pressuring a child to eat, offering rewards for eating, eating in front of the TV and very strict parenting all negatively influenced fussy eaters.

While some of the reasons behind fussy eating may be personal to each child, experts shared that positive parenting and limiting negativity at the dining table can be beneficial for everyone.

Here are some more tips that the research found to be helpful for fussy eaters:

1. Eating together as a family, with siblings can motive kids to be more open to eating different foods.
2. Scheduling regular mealtimes, ie having a meal at the same every day also reduces stress levels.
3. Get children involved in the process of food preparation. The sense of familiarity and control is helpful.
4. Do not keep any rewards, bribes or punishments for fussy eating as such behaviours only have a negative impact.

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