81% of Indian mothers consider their child picky eater: Study

Eighty one per cent of Indian mothers consider their child a picky eater compared to other countries and seventy per cent mothers also feel that their offspring displays a lack of energy and gets tired because of that, according to a study conducted by a multinational pharmaceutical company.

The study carried out in Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad also revealed that parents may not be aware that their own behavior such as bribing or threatening such picky eaters to eat could unintentionally exacerbate the problem, Dr Benny Kerzner, Chairman, Department of Gastroenterology and Nutrition at Children's National Medical Center, George Washington University School of Medicine, said.

Picky eaters tend to eat small amounts, to favour only a few certain foods, or to avoid trying new foods and experts attributed the condition to a wide range of causes, including physiological factors such as appetite, genetics and growth.

"Other causes may include psychological issues such as a struggle for autonomy, changing emotions and moods, and the level of affection or adverse interaction between mother and child," Kerzner told reporters here.

As the most common feeding problem for children, picky eating covers from normal eating behaviour to the occasional child with a true feeding disorder, Kerzner said.

Kerzner also said that the parents have to make sure about the exact cause of the picky eating nature of the child.

Picky eating sometimes leads to social and emotional problems and that these children often consume less than the officially recommended amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals, he said.

More than half of children from 2 to 6 years of age are considered picky eaters by their mothers, according to a study carried out sponsored by Abbott Nutrition and conducted across eight countries involving about 3000 mothers of children age 2-10.

Eighty one per cent of Indian mothers consider their children are picky eaters followed by 72% mothers from China and 65% Philippine mothers while only 43 to 55% mothers from Indonesia, Singapore, Canada, Mexico and Saudi Arabia agreed that their children were picky eaters, the study said.

Some of the vital tips of the Global Speakers' Bureau -- a multi-disciplinary group of pediatric health experts convened by Abbot Nutrition headed by Kerzner -- suggested that healthy eating should be promoted among children.

To achieve that parents should make sure that the children are not distracted during  meal time like television and not to show any joy over the fact that the child  had eatern the food by way of clapping or bribing with some toys, the group suggested.

Kerzner also said the parents should adopt a neutral attitude and should not pressure the child to eat. They should encourage appetite by limiting snacking and balancing portion sizes and limit duration of meals.

Parents should also provide age-appropriate foods and try to introduce new foods to a child gradually and regularly.

"Children should be encouraged to eat independently and not spoon-feed a child who is old enough to use utensils and allow them to get messy when they eat," he said.