Researchers at King’s College London find that fussy eating is an inherited gene

New research from King’s College London in collaboration with UCL and University of Leeds, has suggested that food fussiness is a genetic trait.

We’ve all seen or heard a kid refusing to eat anything but chicken nuggets, or even your flatmate who eats plain pasta for the third night in a row. For years, parents constantly stress over how to get their kids to eat healthier, wondering if their child’s fascination with plain beige food, or their refusal to eat anything green, reflects bad parenting.

According to the study that analysed over 2000 identical and non-identical twins’ eating habits, researchers found that genetic characteristics account for up to 74 per cent of the variation in food fussiness from the ages of three and 13.

Meanwhile, approximately 60 per cent of the variation in food fussiness at 16 months was due to genetic differences in the population. In other words, if you are a picky eater, it’s likely to be a result of your DNA rather than anything you have or haven’t done during dinner times.

The study also highlighted how factors like family routines and food exposure still matter, especially in younger years. Children who are frequently exposed to a variety of foods at a young age are less likely to develop food fussiness in later years. However, especially at adolescence, the impact of these environmental factors fade and genetic influences take control. Food fussiness evolves as a result.

Parents struggling with picky eating children can finally breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that genes play a bigger role than expected. Moreover, for teens and young adults, the “just try it” approach might not do much when their DNA is making the decisions. The guilt-inducing “you don’t get your five a day” rhetoric could now be slightly irrelevant.

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Researchers still advise giving children plenty of opportunities to try new foods, as early exposure can help even the pickiest eaters develop tolerance over time. Whether you’re the picky eater, or you know one, it’s time to ditch the guilt. It’s not all just about stubbornness, it’s science. Genetics certainly do influence how fussy someone is about food, but early exposure to a variety of foods can help, but once adolescence hits, it’s mostly past your control.

Don’t worry though, there is still hope for those picky eaters as taste changes over time. Maybe the flatmate who only survives on beige food isn’t been dramatic after all.

So, if you’re still avoiding vegetables in your 20s, it might not be a phase after all.

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