New study highlights health impact of picky eating in children

Children who are extremely selective about what they eat could be damaging their health in various ways, according to a new study.

The Duke University Medical Center research screened 3,433 children and found that 20 percent of those aged between two and six are selective eaters, with nearly 18 percent classified as moderately picky and around three percent being severely selective, to the extent that it limited their ability to eat with others.

Both moderate and severe selective eating were associated with significantly elevated symptoms of depression, social anxiety and generalised anxiety.

The issue is serious enough that a new condition, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, has been included in the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to classify it.

It was also indicated that children who refuse to eat might have heightened senses, which can make the smell, texture and tastes of certain foods overwhelming, or may be responding excessively to a bad experience they had with a type of food.

Lead author Dr Nancy Zucker, director of the Duke Center for Eating Disorders, said: "Because these children are seeing impairment in their health and wellbeing now, we need to start developing ways to help these parents and doctors know when and how to intervene."