Both in childhood and adolescence, the neophobes -- children who are hesitant to try new food -- were more anxious than their peers.
A new research suggests that children who are hesitant to try new food even during their adolescence may have a poor diet and also suffer from low self-esteem and anxiety problems. However, forcing them to try these food at the dining table against their will may also backfire, the researchers warned.
To avoid this problem it is important that there exists a strong parental bond with the child, said researcher Edurne Maiz from University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) in Spain.
She also recommended "having a relaxed, pleasant atmosphere at meal times, that the children should participate in preparing the food and doing the shopping, using positive reinforcements and, finally, being a good model".
The behavior involving rejection of new foodstuffs is a typical phase in infant development, above all in two- to tree-year-olds and which subsides around the age of five.
Maiz conducted the study on 831 school children between the ages of eight and 16.
In the study, she used questionnaires on infant neophobia -- in which the participants were asked about whether they were prepared to eat new foodstuffs.
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Both in childhood and adolescence, the neophobes were more anxious than their peers.
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The study was published in the journal Revista Espanola de Nutricion Comunitaria.
Source-IANS