How Childhood Eating Habits Shape Long-Term Health Outcomes
Picky eating is common amongst children and can develop for various reasons at an early age. Some children are more naturally sensitive to different taste, smell, and textures.
Medically reviewed and written by Dr Misa Noda
26 September 2024
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Overview of picky eating in childhood
Picky eating is common amongst children and can develop for various reasons at an early age. Some children are more naturally sensitive to different taste, smell, and textures. Others may become picky eaters because they follow their parent’s picky eating habits. Additionally, when parents punish, bribe, or reward eating behaviours, it can reinforce picky eating tendencies.
Picky eating typically starts in the toddler years (ages 1–3), peaks around age 3, and gradually fades by the time children reach 5.
Picky eating has been linked to an increased risk of underweight and experiencing poor growth, according to numerous studies. This may be due to a lower intake of essential nutrients, often accompanied by insufficient consumption of zinc and iron, which are both crucial for healthy development.
Signs that your child is a picky eater
Let’s explore common signs that your child may be a picky eater:
- Limited food preferences
They may have a small range of foods they consistently like, often avoiding new or unfamiliar ones. - Refusing certain textures or colours
Some picky eaters reject foods based on how they look or feel, such as mushy textures or certain colours like green vegetables. - Avoiding whole food groups
They might completely skip categories like vegetables, fruits, or proteins. - Eating very slowly or playing with food
They may stall during meals or focus more on the food’s appearance than eating it. - Strong preferences for certain foods
They often demand the same food repeatedly, like only eating nuggets or specific snacks. - Disliking mixed foods
They might avoid dishes where ingredients are mixed. - Sensitive to smells
Some picky eaters refuse food simply because of its smell, even before tasting it. - Frequent meal-time battles
Meal times often become a struggle between the child and parent, with resistance to trying new foods.
Parents play a crucial role in shaping the eating habits of picky children. They influence their children's food preferences through the environment they create around meals. Early social interactions around feeding shape children's eating behaviours. Parents determine the foods available at home, serve as role models through their own eating habits, and use specific feeding practices, such as encouragement or rules, to guide the development of culturally acceptable eating habits. These early experiences lay the foundation for children's lifelong relationship with food.

Long-term effects of picky eating
While there are limited studies on the direct correlation between picky eating and weight status, it can still pose health concerns if not properly monitored. Weight alone is not always an indicator of health, but picky eating can increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies due to limited food choices. Insufficient intake of key nutrients can have serious health consequences.
Picky eaters often avoid entire food groups, leading to deficiencies in essential nutrients such as vitamins (e.g., vitamin A, D, B12), minerals (e.g., iron, calcium), and proteins. This can impair growth and development in children and may result in conditions like anaemia, weakened immune function, or bone health problems later in life.
While picky eating can be a normal developmental phase that fades over time, if left unmanaged, it may persist into adulthood, potentially leading to ongoing health issues and a restricted diet. Regular monitoring and introducing a variety of foods can help mitigate these risks.

Tips to overcome picky eating
When introducing new foods to your child, avoid force-feeding. Instead, ask if they like the food you've offered. If they dislike it, gently introduce new foods, keeping mealtimes positive to spark their interest in trying something different. The slower the exposure to variety of foods and textures during the weaning phase, the higher likelihood kids become picky as toddlers as they do not develop the habit of accepting new things.
Here are some tips you can implement to minimise picky eating during infancy:
- Expose to a variety of foods repeatedly during weaning diet (the more times food is tasted, the faster the food is accepted)
- Escalate textures accordingly during weaning diet
- Make meals and snacks routine to help children feel secure
- Eat together as a family. Important social time and good learning opportunity for children to eat different foods and to improve feeding skills. Parents are very strong role models, and if they haven’t seen parents trying new food they are less likely to try new foods too
- Praise them when they eat well or try new foods
- Allow enough time to finish eating but do not extend mealtime to coerce to eat more than they want to
- Avoid distractions (especially screens)
If you're concerned about your child's picky eating and its potential impact on their health, it's important to take action. Look for signs such as noticeable weight loss, failure to gain weight, or symptoms of nutrient deficiencies like fatigue or paleness. If your child's eating habits are also leading to anxiety during meal times, consult Dr Misa Noda, our Paediatrician. Seeking medical advice can help assess your child's nutritional needs and help ensure they’re getting the right nutrients for healthy growth and development.