Effect of being a persistent picky eater on feeding difficulties in school-aged children

Children who are picky eaters often develop feeding difficulties during preschool years. These difficulties may persist into adolescence in some children. The study aim was to examine feeding difficulties and maternal feeding strategies longitudinally from age 5.5–8.5 years in relation to persistent picky eating. Picky eating behaviour in children enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children was assessed using questionnaires between 2 and 5.5 years of age. Feeding behaviours were evaluated using questionnaires between 5.5 and 8.5 years. Data were analysed using adjusted logistic regression models. Of the 7405 children with data on picky eating 1926 (26%) were classified as never picky eaters, 385 (5%) were non-persistent picky eaters and 564 (8%) were persistent picky eaters. At 5.5, 7 and 8.5 years both persistent picky eaters and non-persistent picky eaters were more likely than never picky eaters to indicate difficulties in eating what the mother wanted, deliberately eat insufficiently, refuse to eat what was on offer, be choosy, not over-eat, and be difficult to get into routine, but with the likelihood decreasing with age (e.g. in persistent picky eaters vs non-picky eaters: refused to eat offered food OR 44.2 (95% CI 29.1, 67.0) at 5.5 years, 15.5 (11.5, 20.8) at 7 years and 14.1 (10.7, 18.6) at 8.5 years). The families of children who are picky eaters at the time of entering the school system should be offered reassurance that the feeding difficulties are likely to slowly resolve over time.