A study conducted showed that children whose parents have been diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety have higher chances of becoming fussy eaters. An article from Webmd.com revealed that children whose mothers had anxiety while pregnant were difficult to feed. Finding also showed similar results for fathers diagnosed with depression.
Researchers in Netherland conducted this study with 4,700 mothers and 4,100 fathers. According to their findings, if both parents were depressed, there were increased chances of their child being a fussy eater by age four. Aside from anxiety and depression, their findings (published online in Archives Disease) also showed that mild behavioral problems among parents could influence how their child eats.
Lisanne de Barse, a researcher in University Medical Center in Rotterdam, said in a journal, "Clinicians should be aware that not only severe anxiety and depression, but also milder forms of internalizing problems can affect child eating behavior."
Researchers claim that their findings suggest that the children's eating problems stems from the parents' anxiety and depression. De Barse further claims, "Both mother and father symptoms were related to picky eating. The only difference was father anxiety during pregnancy wasn't related to fussy eating."
Although some might be disturbed by the results of this study, De Barse reassures parents not to be too worried since there are a lot of children that go through this phase. This usually lasts for about two years and eventually disappears as the child grows older. However, when picky eating does persist, it is best to consult with the child's doctor.
Fussy eating is usually associated with other behavioral problems among children. It is also linked to constipation and weight problems. The best way to deal with a picky eater is to uncover the cause first. Nagging and complaining to them about their behavior would only make the problem worse.
