Most picky eating harmless but it can signal emotional woes

In fact, a new study from Duke Medicine suggests that more than 20 percent of children ages 2 to 6 are selective, or picky, eaters.

However, researchers at Duke University warned that parents should begin their intervention as soon as possible, instead of adjusting to their children’s woes, as these picky eaters might be suffering from depression and anxiety.

After a trough follow-up two years later for nearly 200 children, it was found out that the fussy eaters in comparison to the non-fussy ones were at least two times more likely to have symptoms like attention deficit behaviour, separation anxiety symptoms and socially anxiety.

Zucker said young children with moderate pickiness are probably more likely to outgrow the problem than the severe group, although more research is needed to confirm that.

The study, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, also found that both moderate and severe selective eating were associated with significantly elevated symptoms of social and generalized anxiety.

Dr. Arthur Lavin, a pediatrician and psycho-social issues expert from Cleveland, was not involved in the study but gave a statement of his own saying that picky eating is one of the main reasons why parents bring their kids to his office.

Eating problems are so prevalent that many clinicians and researchers consider them a normal part of development for preschool-aged children. “So to add to that an issue like eating, which sustains the child, it’s often the number one concern of parents whether their child is getting the right nutrition”. “We need to develop ways to know when and how to intervene”, she said.

Some children who refuse to eat certain foods may have heightened senses, said Zucker, which can make the taste, smell, and textures of certain foods overwhelming.

Mandi Silverman, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute in New York City, said the study highlights much of what the families she sees in her practice go through.

For example, to ensure that dinnertime remains a pleasant experience, serve foods that are palatable to the picky eater, and introduce new foods at other times of the day, she recommended.

Children with moderate and severe patterns of selective eating would meet the criteria for an eating disorder called Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), a new diagnosis included in the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Some children may benefit from therapy, which may include demystifying foods that cause anxiety through exposure.

Dr. Zucker suggests the kids are sensitive not only to external world, but also what’s going into their bodies.

Having set meal times with the whole family can also help children feel more calm and comfortable around new foods, Zucker said. Treatments also need to be better tailored to a patient’s age range.

“It’s a good way to get high-risk children into interventions, especially if the parents are asking for help”, Zucker said.

The study was sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health (RC1-MH-088678, R01-MH-075766, R01-MH-081025).