A qualitative inquiry of parents of extremely picky eaters: Experiences, strategies and future directions

Abstract

Background/aim: Picky eating is a common childhood phenomenon in younger children, impacting family relationships and mealtimes. Limited qualitative studies have explored parents’ experiences of parenting an extremely picky eater. This study aimed to address this gap. Methods: This exploratory qualitative research design included participants who were Australian-based parents (n = 10) of children aged 2–6 years with a minimum picky eating score of 3.33, indicating extreme picky eating, on the Food Fussiness subscale of the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ). Parents were interviewed online via Zoom using semi-structured interviews focused on their experiences of having a child who is a picky eater. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: Five themes were identified: 1: The picky eating journey for parents. 2: Picky eating impacts families and mealtimes. 3: Parents have attempted multiple strategies to manage picky eating. 4: Emotions associated with parenting an extremely picky eater. 5: Parents of extremely picky eaters have a positive outlook for the future. Conclusion: This qualitative study demonstrates that parents' experiences of parenting an extremely picky eater are varied. Parents desire health professionals who listen to their concerns and provide evidence-based knowledge around parent feeding practices to positively impact picky eating.