Improving the Eating Patterns of Infants and Toddlers

Abstract

Early childhood is a critical time for the development of food preferences and eating patterns. The development of eating behaviors is a complex process involving physiological and psychological underpinnings. Factors that influence dietary intakes and nutritional status of young children include food preferences, food availability, parental modeling, praise or reward for food consumption, and peer behaviors ( 1 Carruth B.R. Skinner J. Houck K. Moran J. Coletta F. Ott D. The phenomenon of “picky eater” A behavioral marker in eating patterns of toddlers. J Am Coll Nutr. 1998; 17: 180-186 Google Scholar , 2 Sullivan S.A. Birch L.L. Infant dietary experience and acceptance of solid foods. Pediatrics. 1994; 93: 271-277 Google Scholar , 3 Birch L.L. Effects of peer models’ food choices and eating behaviors on preschoolers’ food preferences. Child Dev. 1980; 51: 489-496 Google Scholar , 4 Birch L.L. Johnson S.L. Fisher J.A. Children’s eating The development of food-acceptance patterns. Young Child. 1995; 50: 71-78 Google Scholar ). These factors begin to develop during early infancy, a time when human milk or infant formulas are the only sources of nutrition and feeding is a source of reassurance and parent–child attachment, and continue to develop throughout childhood. J. Stang is a project director and continuing education specialist, Leadership Education and Training Program in Maternal and Child Health Nutrition, Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.