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Picky Eating Behavior—What Role Does It Play?

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2022) | Viewed by 18251

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Paulina Nowicka

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Guest Editor

Department of Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics, Uppsala University, Box 560, 751 22, Uppsala, Sweden
Interests: eating behavior; pediatric nutrition; obesity; treatment; feeding dynamics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Pernilla Sandvik

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Guest Editor

Department of Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics, Uppsala University, Box 560, 751 22, Uppsala, Sweden
Interests: sensory science; development of eating habits; picky eating; food perception; interventions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

While most parents tend to perceive their children to be picky/fussy/selective/avoidant eaters at some point of the childhood, picky eating behaviors ranging from mild to severe and the ways they are handled are still an under-researched topic. Few studies have attempted to assess the etiology of picky eating, the consequences, as well as effectiveness of various prevention and treatment approaches in different settings. Further, it is yet to be examined what role picky eating plays in other diseases. Although picky eating is often a transient behavior, for some people, this eating behavior persists into adulthood. Thus, research on picky eating in adults with regard to influence on food preferences, eating habits, and psychosocial functioning is also needed.

Definitions of picky eating behaviors vary widely across studies, and an operational definition does not yet exist. Therefore, we especially encourage papers which provide a clear definition of the behavior beyond relying exclusively on, e.g., parents defining picky eating (“Is your child a picky eater?”), since parents are likely to have very different perceptions about what is considered “picky”.

In this Special Issue of Nutrients, we welcome the submission of manuscripts (both original research and review articles) related to picky eating behavior in both children and adults.

Qualitative and quantitative;
Prospective and longitudinal studies;
Observational studies;
Interventions;
Reliability of measurements;
Cross-cultural differences in food avoidant behaviors;
Novel technologies.

Manuscripts not including some form of human measurement will not be considered.

Dr. Paulina Nowicka
Dr. Pernilla Sandvik
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

appetite traits
food-avoidant behaviors
food fussiness
food neophobia
disordered eating
overweigh and obesity
selective eating
parent–child interactions
sensory sensitivity
sensory exposure
ARFID
neurobiology
undernutrition

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 1008 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Online and Face-to-Face Intuitive Eating Interventions on Body Image and Eating Behaviors among Women in China: A Feasibility Study

by Ziyue Cheng, Xueyan Gao, Chengyang Yang, Anna Brytek-Matera and Jinbo He

Nutrients 2022, 14(9), 1761; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14091761 - 22 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2413

Abstract

Body dissatisfaction and eating disorders have become major global concerns, including in Asian populations. Few studies have examined intervention effects on body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in China, especially for interventions with positive psychological perspectives (e.g., intuitive eating). In this pilot study, 66 women participated in an eight-module intuitive eating intervention delivered online (n = 42; mean age, 30.74 years) and face-to-face (n = 24; mean age, 19.46 years) for 8 weeks. Measures of body image and eating behaviors were used to assess the intervention’s feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy. Linear mixed models were used to analyze the data. The intervention had significant effects on both groups, promoting positive body image and intuitive eating and reducing negative body image and disordered eating behaviors. The effects of the online and face-to-face interventions did not differ significantly. Thus, whether delivered online or face-to-face, an intuitive eating intervention may effectively improve Chinese women’s body image and eating behaviors. However, the efficacy of the intuitive intervention in the Chinese context should be confirmed in future studies with designs in randomized control trials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Picky Eating Behavior—What Role Does It Play?)

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17 pages, 302 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Food Neophobia, Familiarity with French Cuisine, Body Mass, and Restaurant Food Choices in a Sample of Polish Women

by Dominika Guzek and Dominika Głąbska

Nutrients 2022, 14(7), 1502; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14071502 - 03 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2277

Abstract

Food neophobia, a condition characterized by a reluctance or avoidance of unknown foods and meals, may influence food choice, and is also associated with body mass and familiarity with food items. This study aimed to analyze the associations between food neophobia, familiarity with French cuisine, body mass, and French restaurant menu food choices in a sample of 203 young Polish women. The Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) method was used in the study. The food choice questionnaire used for assessment was based on a model French restaurant menu, with dishes planned using a 2 × 2 factorial design for the components of neophobic potential (unfamiliar to Polish consumers) and animal-based components. Food neophobia, familiarity with French cuisine, and body mass were considered independent variables. The food neophobia scale (FNS) developed by Pliner and Hobden was used to assess food neophobia among respondents. The results showed an association between food neophobia and familiarity with French cuisine and French restaurant menu food choices (p ≤ 0.05), but no association with body mass was observed (p > 0.05). The respondents with a high level of food neophobia chose dishes with neophobic components (for soups and desserts) less often compared to those with a low neophobia level, and in the absence of such an association, they chose dishes with animal-based components (for starters and main courses) less often (p ≤ 0.05). The respondents who declared that they were familiar with French cuisine chose dishes with animal-based components (for starters and desserts) more often than those with no familiarity, but a reverse association was observed for soups (p ≤ 0.05). Based on the findings of the study, it may be concluded that food neophobia and familiarity with French cuisine may be important determinants of food choice within a French restaurant menu. The study did not show any association between body mass and the choice of dishes from the model French restaurant menu. The findings suggest that the presence of unfamiliar and animal-based ingredients may reduce the frequency of choosing specific dishes within a French restaurant menu, which may reduce the diversity of individuals’ diets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Picky Eating Behavior—What Role Does It Play?)

11 pages, 365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Lunchbox Study: A Pilot Examination of Packed Lunches of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

by Laura Seiverling, Jennifer Felber, Monica Howard, Keith Williams and Helen M. Hendy

Nutrients 2022, 14(7), 1338; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14071338 - 23 Mar 2022

Viewed by 1692

Abstract

Background: This study examined foods packed and consumed by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and calculated the percentage of packed school lunches meeting National School Lunch Program (NSLP) standards. Fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption was further examined by investigating its association with the number and type of foods packed. Methods: Participants included 59 private school students observed for five school meals. Servings of foods and beverages packed and consumed and the percentages of correspondence between food packed and consumed were calculated. Next, the percentages of lunches meeting NSLP guidelines were calculated. Finally, mealtime means were calculated for the number of foods packed, FVs packed, and FVs consumed. Results: There was a high correspondence between foods packed and consumed. Fresh fruits and sugar-added drinks were most often packed and consumed. The percentage of meals meeting NSLP guidelines was higher than previous non-ASD samples. More FV consumption was associated with more FVs packed and fewer total foods packed. FV consumption was highest with 4 < 5 foods packed, including 2+ FVs. Conclusions: Future studies should compare foods packed and consumed by children with and without ASD. The FV consumption findings suggest parents may increase children’s FV consumption by packing approximately four total foods with two FVs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Picky Eating Behavior—What Role Does It Play?)

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19 pages, 323 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variations in the Strength of Association between Food Neophobia and Food and Beverage Acceptability: A Data-Driven Exploratory Study of an Arousal Hypothesis

by Sara R. Jaeger, Sok L. Chheang and John Prescott

Nutrients 2021, 13(10), 3657; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu13103657 - 19 Oct 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2265

Abstract

The negative impact of food neophobia (FN) on food and beverage (F&B) liking extends beyond foods and beverages that are novel. In addition, F&Bs that are high in flavour intensity, perceived as dangerous, or have connections to other cultures are likely to elicit rejection by those high in FN. Each of these factors have been established as producing increased arousal, potentially to an unpleasant degree. The aim of this study was to explore the hypothesis that increased arousal underlies all causes of rejection due to FN. To do this, we analysed and interpreted existing data based on online surveys that measured FN and liking for a broad range of F&B names from 8906 adult consumers in the USA, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Denmark. Negative associations between FN and liking of varying strengths were evident for 90% of the F&Bs. Consistent with the arousal hypothesis, F&Bs (a) with high flavour intensity, whether produced by chilli, other spices, or flavours, (b) from other cultures, (c) often perceived as dangerous, or (d) that were novel or had novel ingredients showed the strongest negative relationships between FN and liking. Conversely, F&Bs whose liking scores were only very weakly related to FN had low arousal characteristics: high familiarity, sweetness, mild flavours, strong connections to national food cultures, or some combination of these factors. Since this study was exploratory and conducted on existing data, there was no direct measure of arousal, but this is recommended for future, stronger tests of this arousal hypothesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Picky Eating Behavior—What Role Does It Play?)

14 pages, 287 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Practical School Nutrition Program May Reduce Food Neophobia

by Corinne A. Labyak, Leslie G. Kaplan, Tammie M. Johnson and Meghan Moholland

Nutrients 2021, 13(10), 3541; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu13103541 - 09 Oct 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1787

Abstract

The study’s purpose was to evaluate an intervention to reduce fruit and vegetable food neophobia and influence attitudes and behaviors among children using a four-month, non-experimental, before-and-after intervention. Participants were children aged 5–11 years in an intervention school (IS) and a control school (CS). Children were offered fruit or vegetable samples weekly utilizing school-specific psychosocial and educational practices to encourage participation. The outcomes of interest included attitudes measured using a written survey-based food neophobia scale (FNS), behavioral observations, and an oral survey. The post-intervention IS FNS score was significantly lower compared to pre-intervention (p = 0.04). Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a statistically significant overall effect of time (p = 0.006). School type-time interaction was not significant (p = 0.57). Pre-intervention observational data showed the proportions finishing and taking another fruit and vegetable sample were higher in the CS (p < 0.001 for both). Post-intervention, the proportions taking the vegetable (p = 0.007) and the fruit (p < 0.001) were higher in the IS. The percentage tasting the vegetable was higher in the CS (p = 0.009). Offering samples of produce in school lunchrooms may reduce food neophobia. This intervention is an inexpensive program that volunteers can quickly implement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Picky Eating Behavior—What Role Does It Play?)

15 pages, 503 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Serum Trace Element Levels and Their Correlation with Picky Eating Behavior, Development, and Physical Activity in Early Childhood

by Hsun-Chin Chao, Jang-Jih Lu, Chang-Yo Yang, Pai-Jui Yeh and Shih-Ming Chu

Nutrients 2021, 13(7), 2295; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu13072295 - 02 Jul 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3430

Abstract

Trace elements are vital components for healthy growth, development, and physical activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between trace element (iron, zinc, copper) deficiencies and picky eating behavior, development level, and physical activity level. This cross-sectional study involved 203 children aged 4–7 years; picky eating behavior, development level, and physical activity level were assessed through questionnaires. Zinc deficiency has the highest prevalence (37.4%); 67.5% of the children were assessed as picky eaters. Children with picky eating behaviors, poor development level, or poor physical activity level have significantly lower zinc levels, and higher prevalence of zinc deficiency. Pearson’s correlation coefficient indicated a positive correlation between serum zinc level and development scores (r = 0.221, p = 0.002) and physical activity scores (r = 0.469, p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, zinc deficiency independently related to picky eating (OR = 2.124, p = 0.037, CI = 1.042–4.312), developmental level (OR = 0.893, p = 0.022, CI = 0.810–0.984), and physical activity level (OR = 0.785, p < 0.001, CI = 0.700–0.879). In conclusion, the prevalence of zinc deficiency in children aged 4–7 was high, especially in picky eaters. Zinc deficiency was significantly associated with low development and poor physical activity in early childhood. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Picky Eating Behavior—What Role Does It Play?)

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16 pages, 285 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Picky Eating Is Associated with Lower Nutrient Intakes from Children’s Home-Packed School Lunches

by Kellseigh Gan, Carly Tithecott, Lisa Neilson, Jamie A. Seabrook and Paula Dworatzek

Nutrients 2021, 13(6), 1759; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu13061759 - 21 May 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2891

Abstract

The objective was to assess the relationship between children’s picky eating (PE) status and nutrient intake from home-packed school lunches. The lunches of 321 students, aged 7–10 years, were quantified via cross-sectional direct observation. Children were classified as having PE (n = 155) or not (non-PE; n = 166) based on food neophobia scores and parental perceptions of PE. The PE group consumed significantly less protein, folate, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, D, and E than the non-PE group; however, both groups consumed amounts exceeding Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for protein, carbohydrates, sugar, sodium, iron, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, and C. Conversely, both groups consumed amounts significantly lower than DRIs for calcium, fibre, folate, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, D, E, and K. The PE group ate significantly less meat and alternatives, vegetables and fruit, and fruit than the non-PE group, and did not meet any of Canada’s Food Guide (2007) recommendations. The non-PE group met recommendations for meat and alternatives only. PE impacts the dietary intake of children’s home-packed lunches; however, many packed lunches were of low nutritional quality. Focus should be placed on provision of nutritionally complete school lunches for all children. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Picky Eating Behavior—What Role Does It Play?)

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