Parents Who Focus Less on Picky Eating Habits Could Encourage Fruit and Veggie Intake in Kids
Source: The Nemours Foundation
 
For parents of picky eaters, mealtimes often turn into battles, and parents may despair that they'll ever be able to convince their children to eat a wider variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables. To get your child to eat more types of food, forget nagging or bribes - dish up plenty of fruit and veggie servings for yourself, say researchers from the Pennsylvania State University in University Park who studied the dietary patterns of a group of girls and their moms.

In the study, 173 9-year-old girls and their moms completed surveys when the girls were 7 and 9 years old. When their daughters were 7, the moms recorded their own food intake, including how many fruit and vegetable servings they usually ate each day. The mothers also noted to what extent they pressured their daughters to eat by agreeing or disagreeing with statements like, "My child should always eat all of the food on her plate," and "If my child says 'I'm not hungry,' I try to get her to eat anyway."

When the girls were 9, mothers recorded the types and amounts of foods their daughters ate for three 24-hour periods. Moms also noted whether they thought their daughters were picky eaters. At 9 years of age, the girls in the study were also weighed, measured, and underwent body fat testing.

The results? Moms who ate more servings of fruits and vegetables said they were less likely to pressure their daughters to eat. In addition, these moms had daughters who ate more fruits and vegetables and who were considered less picky overall. In contrast, perceived picky eaters ate fewer servings of fruits and vegetables (although they also ate fewer fats and sweets).

Most of the girls in the study, though, didn't get the recommended amount of fiber, and their intake of calcium, vitamin E, and magnesium typically fell below the recommended levels. Girls who ate more fruits and vegetables took in significantly more fiber than picky eaters.

What This Means to You: According to the results of this study, the nutritional example you set for your child may affect his or her eating habits. Eating lots of fruit and vegetable servings yourself may encourage your child to eat these foods, too. How many servings should your child be consuming each day? Ensure your child eats plenty of produce by offering three to five vegetable servings and two to four fruit servings daily.