Picky Eaters, or children who are too fussy in their food

Abstract

Picky eating in children is a common problem encountered by paediatric general practitioners. Depending on the reference source, picky eating has an incidence between 14-50% in preschool children. Most of these children are thriving, and their food fussiness is reflective of their age. The aetiology of picky eating is not fully understood. Environmental and genetic factors play a clear role. Targeted search for red flags in the child's history and in his physical examination can reveal suspicion of an underlaying organic cause. Adequate evaluation of the child's quantitative and qualitative dietary intake is vital. In some cases, administration of food supplements or enteral nutrition should be considered. Study results regarding the growth, dietary intake and development of picky eaters are conflicting. This is due to the absence of a clear definition of picky eating, usage of various questionnaires in different studies, reliance on data acquired solely from the parents and usage of different portion sizes.