Fussy Eating May Be Due to Genetics, New Study Finds

Have a kid at home who simply will never, ever, ever eat that piece of lettuce, carrot, or whatever else you put in front of them unless it’s dinosaur-shaped, battered, or with the crust cut off? Well, a new study is here to have your back because it turns out there’s little parents can do about fussy eaters, as it may be written into their DNA. 

According to the new research published in September in the Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, food fussiness, or the “tendency to eat a small range of foods, due to pickiness and/or reluctance to try new foods,” is far more likely to be influenced by genetics than it is to be influenced by environment. 

To come to this conclusion, researchers from University College London, King’s College London, and the University of Leeds tracked more than 2,400 sets of twins from ages 16 months to 13 years to explore how nature vs. nurture can influence eating habits. The team specifically wanted both identical twins, who share 100% of the same genetic material, and non-identical twins, who do not, so compare groups. 

The researchers found that food pickiness appears to peak at about 7 years old and declines slightly as children reach adolescence. It also found that identical twins are more likely to have similar picky eating patterns, pointing toward a strong genetic component to the behavior. 

“The reason why some children are quite ‘finicky’ with trying certain sorts of food and others are more adventurous, and they happily join in with family meals is largely down to genetic differences between children rather than parenting styles,” Professor Clare Llewellyn, senior author on the study, shared with BBC Radio 4’s Today. Dr Zeynep Nas, another author on the study, shared that they hope the findings “help to alleviate parental blame” as it can be a “major source of anxiety for parents and caregivers.”

However, the researchers didn’t dismiss environmental factors completely. They noted in their study that while genetics play a primary role, environment can still make or break habits, especially in those early developmental years. They noted that “repeated exposure and increasing the variety of fruits and vegetables offered in the home may be most effective in the very early years,” along with building habits like eating together as a family and re-testing previously rejected foods. 

So, the next time you find yourself negotiating between pizza and broccoli, know that it’s not your fault. And just keep trying. You never know when it may stick.