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

Eighty one per cent of Indian mothers consider their child a picky eater in comparison to other countries and seventy per cent of them also feel that their offspring displays lack of energy and gets tired because of this, a new study has revealed.

The study was conducted by a multinational pharmaceutical company in Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

"The parents may not be aware that their own behavior such as bribing or threatening such picky eaters to eat could unintentionally exacerbate the problem," said Benny Kerzner, chairman, department of Gastroenterology and Nutrition at George Washington University School of Medicine.

Picky eaters tend to eat small amounts, to favour only a few certain foods, or to avoid trying new foods which may be due to a wide range of factors 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," said Mr Kerzner.

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

He said that the parents must make sure about the exact cause of the picky eating nature of the child as it can sometimes lead to social and emotional problems.