Food Refusal and Selective Eating

Abstract

Food refusal can be characterized as a severe feeding problem wherein an individual fails to eat sufficient quantity and/or variety of foods/liquids to maintain his or her weight and height. In addition, food refusal may encompass selective eating by type where weight and growth are not of concern but where nutritional status may be compromised. Food selectivity by texture can be another form of a feeding problem where oral- motor skill deficits may be evident. Feeding problems can be classified into the categories of eating nothing to minimal by mouth, liquid dependency, and food selectivity. Children who eat minimal or nothing by mouth typically receive nutrition through enteral support. Liquid dependency refers to children who rely primarily on a high calorie drink supplement as the main source of nutrition with minimal consumption of solid foods. The etiology of feeding problems is not well understood. Commonly, feeding problems may develop as a result of medical issues, anatomical abnormalities and/or oral-motor skill deficits, and behavioral/environmental factors. Medical conditions in which eating has been paired with pain or discomfort may result in food refusal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)